TRANSPORT

Aviation: Volcanoes

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the airline industry on compensation to those affected by the volcanic ash explosion; and if he will make a statement.

Theresa Villiers: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State discussed the issue of financial assistance to cover their losses arising from the disruption due to the volcanic ash cloud with UK airlines at a meeting on 1 June. Since then, he has written to UK airlines and other air transport representative bodies informing them of the Government's decision not to provide financial assistance in these circumstances. It must be for businesses to meet their own operating risks and the costs of their legal liabilities. The severe pressure on public finances also makes assistance unaffordable.
	The Government expects air carriers to honour their obligations under the EU Denied Boarding and Cancellation Regulation 261 to provide assistance to passengers stranded abroad and to those wishing to claim a refund for cancelled flights.

Bus Services: Concessions

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on the number of people aged between 60 and 64 in the Tyne and Wear concessionary travel scheme who received free bus travel in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what information his Department holds on the number of people  (a) of eligible age and  (b) otherwise eligible in (i) England and (ii) the Tyne and Wear concessionary travel scheme who received free bus travel in the latest period for which figures are available.

Norman Baker: According to Office for National Statistics figures, taken at the mid-point of 2009, there are 11.5 million people aged 60 and over in England and 247,000 people aged 60 and over in Tyne and Wear-of which 64,000 people are aged 60 to 64. The Department for Transport does not have any figures for the number of people eligible for concessionary travel by virtue of their disability.
	The last information held by the Department was that as of 6 April this year, almost 10 million smartcard concessionary passes had been issued since the introduction of the England-wide concession in April 2008, of which Nexus had issued 302,827 passes. This includes passes issued to both eligible older and disabled people. The Department holds no data about passes issued prior to April 2008, nor about how many of the passes issued are replacements or have subsequently been surrendered or withdrawn.

Dee Harbour

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to finalise the Dee Harbour Revision Order for publication.

Michael Penning: holding answer 8 September 2010
	 I expect my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to determine this application from the Environment Agency and a related application from the Mostyn Docks Ltd. as soon as possible. Consideration of this case has taken some time partly in order that parties to the public inquiry should also be allowed the opportunity to comment on the report into the investigation of the grounding of the cargo vessel Thunder at the approaches to the Dee estuary.

Departmental ICT

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which IT contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the monetary value of each such contract was.

Norman Baker: No such cases have been recorded centrally. However, a full review of all IT contracts, in order to provide a complete answer, would incur disproportionate cost.

Driving: Safety

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to implement the recommendation of the North Committee report on road safety and the drink-driving limit and bring forward legislative proposals for a reduction on the level of alcohol permitted for people to drive; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Penning: Sir Peter North's report covers a wide range of issues and makes 51 detailed recommendations, which we need to consider carefully with other Government Departments. In doing so it is important that we fully investigate the economic impact of any suggested changes to the law, taking account of the current financial and economic situation. We aim to respond to the report by the end of the year.

Highways Agency: Motor Vehicles

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much the Highways Agency has spent on purchasing vehicles in the last 12 months.

Michael Penning: In 2009-10, the Highways Agency spent a total of £23 million on the purchase of new winter service vehicles (gritters).
	The Highways Agency's previous winter service vehicles comprised 'Foden-Telstar' spreaders, which were between 12 to 17-years-old, thus requiring increasing amounts of maintenance to keep them operational. The equipment was falling behind with modern alternatives, which allow flexibility to adapt to different treatment techniques and materials, providing a more effective and efficient winter service with less environmental impact.
	The replacement of these winter service vehicles was commissioned using a four-year framework contract. Total actual and forecast costs are as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2008-09 (actual) 18.9 
			 2009-10 (actual) 23 
			 2010-11 (actual and forecast) (1)12.5 
			 (1) Of which £6 million has been spent between April 2010 to August 2010. 
		
	
	The budget available for the final year of the framework contract cannot be confirmed until after the forthcoming comprehensive spending review.
	The Highways Agency also spent £330,000 on a new SCRIM vehicle (Sideway force Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine) for measuring the road surface skid resistance.
	Traffic officer vehicles are provided on a lease basis and the Highways Agency is charged a combined monthly fee that includes lease and maintenance. The total lease/maintenance cost of the vehicles in financial year 2009-10 was £3,757,000.

Public Transport: Disability

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to improve (a) access to and  (b) safety on public transport for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport seeks to improve access to and safety on public transport, including for disabled people. For example, free off-peak local bus travel throughout England has given the opportunity for greater freedom and independence to around 11 million older and disabled people.
	By law, all newly built or refurbished public transport vehicles must be accessible to disabled people. Over a third of all trains are already accessible, as is half the bus fleet. Deadlines have been set for when all trains, buses and coaches must be accessible. Disability legislation also covers infrastructure, such as bus and railway stations. These are becoming more accessible as buildings are built or renovated. Transport operators also have a legal duty to consider the needs of disabled people when publishing service information and providing booking and other facilities.
	We are also seeking to ensure that those who travel have the confidence and basic skills to do so; that transport staff have the appropriate training to help people; and that passengers can travel in a safe environment. For example, just over 1,000 stations are currently accredited under the Secure Stations Scheme, and there are increasing numbers of help points and CCTV cameras on our public transport systems.

Roads: Accidents

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what his most recent estimate is of the cost to the public purse of a  (a) fatality,  (b) serious injury and  (c) slight injury caused by a road accident.

Michael Penning: The information requested can be found in Table 2a in article 2 in Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2008 Annual Report, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. Estimates using 2009 data will be published on 23 September 2010 in Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: 2009 Annual Report.

Roads: Accidents

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has commissioned recent research into the likely effects on the number of people  (a) killed,  (b) seriously injured and  (c) slightly injured in road accidents of changes in the level of expenditure on road safety measures.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport has not commissioned specific recent research. However the STATS19 collision and casualty data received by the Department are routinely monitored to identify any emerging trends, which in turn is used to inform policy decision making.

Roads: Accidents

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many  (a) children and  (b) adults were (i) killed, (ii) seriously injured and (iii) slightly injured in road accidents in each of the last five years.

Michael Penning: The information requested is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Reported child and adult road casualties by severity: GB 2005-09 
			Number of casualties 
			  Casualty severity  Age  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Killed Child (0-15 years) 141 169 121 124 81 
			  Adult (16+years) 3,051 2,994 2,817 2,413 2,141 
			  All ages(1) 3,201 3,172 2,946 2,538 2,222 
			 Seriously injured Child (0-15 years) 3,331 3,125 2,969 2,683 2,590 
			  Adult (16+years) 25,031 25,057 24,285 22,898 21,758 
			  All ages(1) 28,954 28,673 27,774 26,034 24,690 
			 Slightly injured Child (0-15 years) 24,654 22,229 20,717 19,189 17,984 
			  Adult (16+years) 207,339 198,442 190,872 178,271 173,685 
			  All ages(1) 238,862 226,559 217,060 202,333 195,234 
			 All casualties Child (0-15 years) 28,126 25,523 23,807 21,996 20,655 
			  Adult (16+years) 235,421 226,493 217,974 203,582 197,584 
			  All ages(1) 271,017 258,404 247,780 230,905 222,146 
			 (1) Includes cases where age is not recorded

Travel: Concessions

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost to his Department was of the Metro Gold Card scheme in the last five financial years.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has not provided any funding for the Nexus Gold Card scheme in the last five years.
	The Metro Gold Card is a discretionary concession administered by Nexus, Tyne and Wear's Passenger Transport Executive. Therefore it is funded from Tyne and Wear's own resources.

Travel: Concessions

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions his Department has had with Nexus on plans for future funding of the Metro Gold Card.

Norman Baker: The Department for Transport has not had any discussions with Nexus on its plans for future funding of the Metro Gold Card.
	Concessionary travel in Tyne and Wear is administered by Nexus, Tyne and Wear's Passenger Transport Executive. The Department regularly meets the Passenger Transport Executive Group to discuss transport issues, including concessionary travel.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Agricultural Wages Board

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what terms and conditions of employment stipulated by the Agricultural Wages Board are not covered by  (a) minimum wage legislation and  (b) legislation relating to paid holidays.

James Paice: The majority of the terms and conditions currently set by the Agricultural Wages Board (AWB), such as a minimum rate of pay, holiday entitlement, sick pay and rest breaks will in future be covered by the minimum entitlements for such matters specified under the National Minimum Wage Act, or specified by other relevant employment legislation such as the working time regulations or the statutory sick pay rules.
	The National Minimum Wage Act and the working time regulations do not make provision for the following entitlements which are currently covered by the agricultural wages order:
	Specific rates of pay for overtime
	Stand-by duty and night allowance
	Entitlement to bereavement leave
	Birth or adoption grant (currently of £60 per child)
	Dog allowance
	The agricultural wages order makes specific provision for:
	Apprentice under the age of 19, or in the first year of their apprenticeship
	Workers of compulsory school age
	Students on a work placement of less than one year.
	Specific provision for these categories of workers is not made under the national minimum wage legislation. However, such persons are entitled to employment rights and protections under the working time regulations, and the legislation dealing specifically with the employment of children and young people.
	It is also important to note that the terms of a worker's employment contract which exist at the time the AWB is abolished will continue to apply until such time as the contract is varied by agreement between the employer and the worker, or until the contract comes to an end. This is the case whether the terms are written, verbally agreed or implied by custom and practice. If an employer makes changes to the terms of employment without the worker's agreement, this constitutes a breach of contract. The worker may have a claim for breach of contract, unfair dismissal or unlawful deduction of wages if the change relates to pay.

Agricultural Wages Board

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what discussions she has had with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers on the future of the Agricultural Wages Board.

James Paice: DEFRA Ministers have been in contact with Welsh Assembly Government Ministers over a range of issues, including the future of the Agricultural Wages Board. Officials from DEFRA and the Welsh Assembly Government are working together to ensure that the necessary transitional arrangements are managed effectively.

Agriculture: Pay

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the average change in agricultural wages has been in each year since 1990.

James Paice: A time series of the average pay rates (and changes between years) for agricultural and horticultural workers from 1990 to 2009 is shown as follows. Results cover England and Wales.
	
		
			   Full-time male regular workers  Full-time female regular workers  Part time male regular workers 
			   Average earnings per hour  Change from the previous year  Average earnings per hour  Change from the previous year  Average earnings per hour  Change from the previous year 
			  Date( 1, 2, 3)  £/hour  £/hour  %  £/hour  £/hour  %  £/hour  £/hour  % 
			 September 1990 3.90 - - n/a - - n/a - - 
			 September 1991 4.30 0.40 10.1 3.66 - - n/a - - 
			 September 1992 4.57 0.27 6.3 4.02 0.36 9.8 n/a - - 
			 September 1993 4.71 0.13 2.9 4.24 0.27 6.8 n/a - - 
			 September 1994 4.83 0.13 2.7 4.33 0.10 2.3 n/a - - 
			 September 1995 5.03 0.20 4.1 4.37 0.04 0.8 n/a - - 
			 September 1996 5.21 0.18 3.5 4.72 0.35 8.1 n/a - - 
			 September 1997 5.49 0.28 5.4 4.77 0.05 1.0 n/a - - 
			 September 1998 5.94 0.45 8.2 4.97 0.20 4.3 4.65 - - 
			 September 1999 5.92 -0.02 -0.3 5.31 0.34 6.8 5.15 0.50 10.8 
			 September 2000 6.09 0.17 2.8 5.57 0.26 4.9 5.27 0.12 2.3 
			 September 2001 6.42 0.33 5.4 5.48 -0.09 -1.6 5.59 0.32 6.1 
			 September 2002 6.78 0.36 5.6 6.05 0.57 10.4 5.62 0.03 0.5 
			 September 2003 6.66 -0.12 -1.7 6.09 0.04 0.7 5.91 0.29 5.2 
			 September 2004 7.16 0.50 7.5 6.41 0.32 5.2 6.13 0.22 3.6 
			 September 2005 7.40 0.23 3.3 6.42 0.01 0.2 6.99 0.87 14.2 
			 September 2006 7.39 -0.00 -0.1 6.34 -0.08 -1.2 6.64 -0.35 -5.0 
			 September 2007 7.50 0.11 1.5 6.84 0.50 7.8 6.46 -0.18 -2.7 
			 September 2008 7.64 0.14 1.9 6.95 0.11 1.7 7.12 0.66 10.2 
			 September 2009 8.19 0.54 7.1 7.25 0.30 4.3 7.61 0.48 6.8 
		
	
	
		
			   Part time female regular workers  Casual male workers  Casual female workers 
			   Average earnings per hour  Change from the previous year  Average earnings per hour  Change from the previous year  Average earnings per hour  Change from the previous year 
			  Date( 1, 2, 3)  £/hour  £/hour  %  £/hour  £/hour  %  £/hour  £/hour  % 
			 September 1998 4.74 - - 4.69 - - 4.06 - - 
			 September 1999 4.63 -0.11 -2.3 4.89 0.20 4.3 4.29 0.23 5.7 
			 September 2000 4.80 0.17 3.7 5.10 0.21 4.3 4.45 0.16 3.7 
			 September 2001 5.27 0.47 9.8 5.51 0.41 8.0 4.75 0.30 6.7 
			 September 2002 5.20 -0.07 -1.3 5.55 0.04 0.7 5.30 0.55 11.6 
			 September 2003 5.43 0.23 4.4 5.92 0.37 6.7 5.12 -0.18 -3.4 
			 September 2004 5.63 0.20 3.7 6.10 0.18 3.0 5.36 0.25 4.8 
			 September 2005 6.00 0.37 6.6 6.29 0.19 3.1 5.73 0.36 6.8 
			 September 2006 6.17 0.17 2.8 6.39 0.10 1.6 5.87 0.15 2.5 
			 September 2007 6.56 0.40 6.4 6.78 0.39 6.1 5.78 -0.10 -1.7 
			 September 2008 6.81 0.24 3.7 6.77 -0.02 -0.2 6.20 0.43 7.4 
			 September 2009 6.82 0.02 0.3 6.88 0.11 1.6 6.46 0.26 4.2 
			 (1 )On 31 December 1990, the interview based Wages and Employment Inquiry was terminated and replaced on 1 January 1991 with the postal Earnings and Hours Survey of Agricultural and Horticultural Workers. Therefore, figures for 1990 and 1991 may not be directly comparable. (2 )For the period 1991 to 1997, figures for males relate to average earning for the 12 month period ending in September. For females the figures relate to the average over the three month period from June to September for the period 1991 to 1994 and for the 12 month period ending in September for 1995 to 1997. Between 1991 and 1997 information was only collected for full-time workers. (3 )From 1998 to 2002, the Earnings and Hours survey was changed from a quarterly to an annual survey so results for these years are only based on pay rates for the month of September each year. In all other years (except those specified in (1), pay rates have been averaged across the four quarters to give overall annual averages.  Note: Results are based on a small sample survey so are subject to a degree of sampling variation. An indication of the sampling variation can be found from the latest statistical notice: http://www.defra.gov.uk/evidence/statistics/foodfarm/farmmanage/earningshours/documents/earnings-hours.pdf.  Source:  Defra Earnings and Hours Survey of Agricultural and Horticultural Workers-England and Wales.

Animal Products: Clones

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is on the use of cloned animals in food production; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The Government are mindful of the interest surrounding this emerging technology and its use in food production. The European Food Safety Authority has noted that, whilst relatively limited data are available, the available evidence indicates that food from healthy cloned cattle and pigs and their offspring does not present any risks to consumers. Food derived from cloned animals is nevertheless subject to the European regulation on novel foods and cannot be marketed without an authorisation under that regulation. The Food Standards Agency has advised that this is also the case for food from the descendants of cloned animals. To date no applications for authorisation have been made and no authorisations have been issued.
	Looking forward, European Union Agriculture Ministers have collectively asked the European Commission to produce a detailed report on cloning by the end of 2010 and this will provide further basis for evidence-based decision making at EU level. We will be looking carefully at the Commission's report as we consider this subject further.

Birds: Conservation

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to protect the  (a) corncrake,  (b) bittern,  (c) black grouse,  (d) black-tailed godwit,  (e) cirl bunting and  (f) turtle dove population; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: All six species (including their nests, eggs and young) are fully protected by domestic legislation in England: the corncrake, bittern, black-tailed godwit, cirl bunting and turtle dove through the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 (as amended), and the black grouse (which is a quarry species) through the Game Acts. The corncrake, bittern, black-tailed godwit and cirl bunting are listed on Schedule 1 of the Act, so special penalties apply to those who disturb these species whilst at, on or near their nests. The corncrake and bittern are on Annex 1 of EU Directive 79/409 on the Conservation of Wild Birds. Where present in appropriate numbers, these species are recognised as interest features of Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) and part of the qualifying interest of special protection areas. Many also occur on reserves managed by Natural England and/or its non-governmental organisation partners.
	As a result of recent or historic population declines, all six species appear on the UK 'Red' list of 'Birds of Conservation Concern' meaning they are of high conservation concern, and all are recognised as priority species by the UK Biodiversity Action Plan. Effective conservation action for these species is a thus seen as a high priority, both for Government through its agencies (notably Natural England) and for non-governmental organisations such as the RSPB, with which we work in close partnership.

Bovine Tuberculosis

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the reasons for recent changes in the number of bovine tuberculosis herd incidents.

James Paice: There has been a welcome recent fall in the number of herds disclosing with reactors and a resulting reduction in the number of cattle being compulsorily slaughtered. This is part of a downward trend that has been observed for some time but we have seen similar declines over the last nine years only to then see disease levels rise again. It is not possible (and will not be for some time) to know with any certainty what may be causing these changes and whether they are therefore temporary or permanent.
	The fact remains that incidence of bovine TB in parts of England is still far too high and we continue to take the fight against the disease very seriously, not least because of the serious impact it has on farmers.

Bovine Tuberculosis: Disease Control

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in badgers; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The coalition has committed, as part of a package of measures, to develop affordable options for a carefully-managed and science-led policy of badger control in areas with high and persistent levels of bovine TB.
	We are currently developing proposals which we plan to publish for public consultation later this month.

Business: Waste Disposal

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to introduce responsibility deals for business waste.

Richard Benyon: The potential for using responsibility deals for all types of waste is being explored as part of the ongoing Review of Waste Policy, the initial findings of which will be available in spring 2011.

Carbon Emissions: Business

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brecon and Radnorshire (Roger Williams) of 14 June 2010,  Official Report, column 252W, on carbon emissions: business, whether preliminary information is yet available on the number and proportion of UK-listed companies which have reported on their greenhouse gas emissions pursuant to her Department's guidance in 2009-10.

James Paice: No further information is available on the number and proportion of UK-listed companies which have reported on their greenhouse gas emissions using the guidance published by DEFRA and the Department of Energy and Climate Change. It is expected that some information will become available from reports on the findings of surveys of businesses, which are due to be published in October 2010.

Carbon Emissions

Barry Gardiner: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what targets she has set for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from peatland and wetland; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The Climate Change Act 2008 introduced a system of national carbon budgets, which place caps on the total quantity of greenhouse gas emissions emitted in the UK over a specified time. Each carbon budget covers a five year period, with the first budget running from 2008-2012. DEFRA policy areas are currently responsible for an estimated 15% of UK emissions, and DEFRA is committed to sustainably reducing these emissions in order to help the UK meet its carbon budgets.
	There are no specific targets set for emissions from peatland and wetland, but we are continuing to examine options to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Any reductions would count towards the overall UK carbon budget.

Common Fisheries Policy

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent representations she has received on the consideration of regionalisation in the review of the common fisheries policy; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: One of the UK's key priorities for common fisheries policy (CFP) reform is to move away from the current centralised system that attempts to micro-manage fishermen's daily activities. Genuinely strategic decisions should continue to be taken at EU level, but more responsibility for implementation can, and should, be devolved to member states, and those closest to the fisheries.
	In order to pursue this agenda, the UK is engaging with other member states, the European Commission, European Parliament, industry, and major non-governmental organisations in order to establish a way forward that delegates the maximum responsibility to those closest to the issues, whilst complying with the relevant treaty obligations.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) her Department,  (b) its agency and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Richard Benyon: The following table shows the number of payments to suppliers made by  (a) the core Department,  (b) all but one of the executive agencies and  (c) the main non-departmental bodies, for the financial year 2009-10.
	
		
			  Fiscal year 2009-10 
			   Number of payments  
			   < 30 Days  30 to 60  60 to 90  >90  Total 
			 Core DEFRA 30,105 943 227 294 31,569 
			 Executive agencies 86,528 1,471 332 362 88,693 
			 NDPBs 38,227 3,685 743 395 43,050 
			  154,860 6,099 1,302 1,051 - 
		
	
	Data for the following are not included in the above and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
	 Executive agencies
	Rural Payments Agency aims to comply with current Government guidance in terms of prompt supplier invoice payment where the target is to pay 80% of correctly rendered invoices within five working days.
	It is against this target that RPA measures its supplier invoice payment performance. RPA does not measure payment performance for other time periods and does not have this information readily available.
	97.4% of correctly rendered invoices were paid within five working days for the most recent period of April to August 2010.
	 Non- departmental public bodies
	The Environment Agency paid the following number of payments to suppliers in August 2010:
	 (i) 7,090 within 30 days;
	 (ii) 711 over 30 days;
	 (iii) 270 over 60 days;
	 (iv) 343 over 90 days from the invoice date.
	During the year 2008-09 EA paid over 98% of invoices from suppliers within 30 days. Creditor days, calculated on an average basis for the year, according to the formula in the Companies Act 2006 (Directors Report) were 9.8 days for 2008-09.
	Data are not included for the following executive NDPBs:
	Agricultural Wages Board for England And Wales
	Agricultural Wages Committee.
	The Department's advisory NDPB's are not included.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Clive Betts: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs which local authorities had a two-weekly refuse collection service in 2009-10; and whether her Department provided financial incentives to those authorities to establish such services.

Richard Benyon: A list of English local authorities that provided alternate weekly collection (AWC) services in 2009-10 will be placed in the Library of the House. Data for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are not currently available for 2009-10.
	Neither DEFRA nor the Department for Communities and Local Government have provided any financial incentives for AWCs.

Domestic Waste: Waste Disposal

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what estimate she has made of the cost to local authorities which operate alternate weekly waste collections of introducing weekly waste collections.

Richard Benyon: The Government believe in localism and it is for local authorities to determine what waste collection system works best for their local areas in consultation with their residents. As part of the Government's review of waste policies, we want to help councils to deliver the quality and frequency of services their customers want while delivering our commitment to move towards a zero waste economy.
	Current estimates suggest that the cost of change would be in the region of £140 million in the first year, and £530 million over the period of the Spending Review.

Environment Protection: Gibraltar

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department provides assistance to  (a) the government of Gibraltar and  (b) the Gibraltar Ornithological and Natural History Society to protect the (i) UK-Gibraltar and (ii) Southern Waters Site of Community Importance under the EU Habitats Directive; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The UK is ultimately responsible for the implementation of the birds and habitats directives in Gibraltar. However, domestic implementation, in the first instance, rests with the Government of Gibraltar. DEFRA provides administrative support for correspondence between the European Commission and the Government of Gibraltar in regard to obligations under the birds and habitats directives. DEFRA also facilitates the provision of technical assistance from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) at the request of the Government of Gibraltar.

Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what financial penalty her Department incurs if it withdraws from an  (a) Entry Level Stewardship and  (b) Higher Level Stewardship Scheme agreement.

James Paice: Withdrawal from an agreement before the end of the agreement period without legitimate excuse would be a breach of contract. The agreement-holder may be entitled to breach of contract remedies (including damages). Furthermore, under EU law, payments made under an agreement must be reimbursed in full where one party withdraws early. DEFRA would bear these costs if it withdrew from the agreement before the end of the agreement period.
	Agreements that run beyond 2015 are subject to review in 2012 because under the current EU legal framework, the EU Commission (which part funds the payments) does not have legal authority to make payments beyond that point. If the current EU legal framework was not replaced by a new framework for payments beyond 2015, DEFRA would be entitled to withdraw from agreements extending beyond that period with no liability for breach of contract or reimbursement costs.

Environmental Stewardship Scheme

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment has been made of the cost to her Department of terminating  (a) Entry Level Stewardship and  (b) Higher Level Stewardship Scheme agreements before they end.

James Paice: No assessment has been made of the cost to the Department of terminating Entry Level Stewardship or Higher Level Stewardship agreements before they end.

Fly-tipping: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to prevent fly-tipping in Coventry.

Richard Benyon: DEFRA is working closely with representatives of local authorities across England, the Environment Agency, Keep Britain Tidy, landowners and other members of the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group to better understand the causes of fly-tipping, and the best approach to reducing incidences of fly-tipping at a local level.
	DEFRA works with organisations such as Keep Britain Tidy to support local authorities with training, guidance and advice on their fly-tipping prevention strategies. DEFRA also funds the Flycapture system which records information on fly-tipping incidents dealt with by local authorities as well as enforcement action taken, allowing DEFRA and local authorities to assess the scale of the problem and prioritise action.
	We will be considering how best to target our future activity on fly-tipping as part of the current review of waste policies. Local authorities, including those in the Coventry area, and other interested parties have been invited to submit views on this, and waste policy and delivery in England more generally, as part of a Call for Evidence. I would encourage all those with an interest to submit comments via the DEFRA website at:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/waste-review/index.htm

Food Production

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what further steps she plans to take to encourage local food production and consumption.

James Paice: To meet the growing demand for more food with a local and regional provenance, our food and drink producers' access to market must be improved. We are providing funding under the Rural Development Programme for England for a range of measures aimed at supporting delivery organisations in the region, individual food producers and retail outlets, food hubs and farmers' markets.
	I welcome the fact that retailers have put in place policies aimed at increasing the availability of regional and local food on their shelves. This provides opportunities for UK farmers to capture a greater market share by becoming more competitive.
	Research shows consumers are increasingly concerned about the origins of their food, and the Government are committed to clearer origin labelling to provide consumers with the information they need to make informed choices about the food they buy.
	We are also committed to ensuring that food procured by Government Departments, and eventually the whole public sector, meets British or equivalent standards of production wherever this can be achieved without increasing overall costs.

Food Supply

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what contribution her Department has made to the Strategic Defence and Security Review in respect of UK food security.

James Paice: I can confirm that DEFRA has contributed to work on the Strategic Defence and Security Review with regard to food supply, and other areas of departmental responsibility.

Food Supply

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate she has made of the minimum number of days supply of food required for the UK to maintain an acceptable level of food security;
	(2)  how many days supply of food are routinely stored within the UK.

James Paice: We do not hold information on the total food held in the country. However in the 2008-09 marketing year (the latest actual figures available), the UK cereal closing stocks at 30 June 2009 were 4.169 million tonnes of cereals, representing around 73 days of consumption for that year. For the year ending 30 June 2010, forecast estimates equate to around 67 days. The average of cereal stocks held between 2003-04 and 2007-08 were typically equivalent to 50 to 55 days worth of consumption.
	We work closely with the food industries on food supply chain resilience, and in 2009 DEFRA published a comprehensive assessment of UK Food Security (updated in January 2010) which shows that the UK enjoys a high level of food security. The assessment analyses a wide range of indicators (including on cereal stocks as mentioned above) and evidence for assessing UK food security structured around six themes:
	global availability;
	global resource sustainability;
	UK availability and access;
	UK food chain resilience;
	food security at household level; and
	safety and confidence in our food supply.
	It remains one of DEFRA's priorities to ensure a secure, environmentally sustainable and healthy supply of food in the face of future challenges.

Food: Labelling

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what progress she has made in introducing an accurate country-of-origin labelling scheme for food products; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: As set out in our Structural Reform Plan, we want to ensure that consumers have confidence in origin claims that are being made. We know that consumers are particularly concerned about dairy and meat products. We are working with the food industry, retailers and others to encourage better labelling, greater compliance with Government best practice guidance and developing clear principles that can be followed. I have written to key organisations in the food industry and retailers, seeking collaboration to taking this forward.

Food: Waste Disposal

Stephen Gilbert: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans her Department has to bring forward proposals to require the separation of food waste in municipal waste collection.

Richard Benyon: The Government believe that local authorities, working with local communities, are best placed to decide on the most appropriate options for waste management, including collection. For example, there are differences in what suits urban areas compared to suburban or rural areas in terms of the most appropriate waste collection types and frequencies.
	The Review of Waste Policy announced in June will look at policies surrounding food waste, to see what can be done to further reduce the amount that ends up in landfill.

Genetically Modified Organisms: Crops

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what her Department's policy is on the use of genetically-modified crops; and if she will make a statement.

James Paice: The details of the Government's policy on GM crops are currently under consideration, but all policies will be based on robust scientific evidence.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  which  (a) individuals and  (b) organisations she (i) consulted and (ii) plans to consult before making a recommendation on the introduction of mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting under section 85 of the Climate Change Act 2008;
	(2)  what account her Department plans to take of the outcome of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills consultation on the future of narrative reporting in making its recommendation on the introduction of mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting under section 85 of the Climate Change Act 2008.

James Paice: DEFRA received 132 responses to the 2009 consultation on the draft guidance to businesses on how to measure and report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, gathering a wide range of views.
	The Secretary of State will take a decision on mandating GHG emissions-reporting on the basis of the evidence being gathered for the report to be laid before Parliament by 1 December 2010, on the contribution that reporting makes to the UK meeting its climate change objectives. In taking the decision, the Secretary of State will take into account the outcome of the Department for Business Innovation and Skills' (BIS) current consultation on the future of narrative reporting. DEFRA continues to work closely with BIS and the Department of Energy and Climate Change in coming to a decision.
	If a decision is taken to introduce mandatory reporting in principle, the draft regulations will be subject to a public consultation.

Hazardous Substances: Waste Disposal

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 8 June 2010,  Official Report, column 90W, on hazardous substances: waste disposal; for what reasons she has no plans for a public inquiry; and if she will hold a public inquiry following the Dutch court judgement on 23 July 2010 on Trafigura.

Richard Benyon: The UK was not involved in this incident in Cote d'lvoire. The vessel involved was a not a UK vessel, the waste did not come from the UK and the cargo was not loaded in the UK. It does not appear to be appropriate, therefore, for a public inquiry to be held in the UK.

Japanese Knotweed: Greater Manchester

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to eliminate Japanese knotweed, with particularly reference to Manchester, Gorton constituency.

Richard Benyon: We have no plans to attempt eradication of Japanese knotweed. The cost of a national eradication programme using current techniques would be prohibitively expensive (estimated to be at least £1.5 billion) and is likely to be unsuccessful given the widespread distribution of this invasive species.
	DEFRA has been one of the main funding partners in a long-running project researching the possibility of identifying a biological control agent for Japanese knotweed. A controlled release of the highly specialist psyllid  Aphalara itadori is now under way to help control this plant. If successful, this insect should restrict its growth, slow its capacity to spread vigorously and enhance the effectiveness of management effort, although it would not eradicate it altogether.
	As with other species, management of Japanese knotweed is primarily the responsibility of the landowner. Strategic, widespread control is currently not the sole responsibility of any statutory organisation.

Nature Conservation: Crime

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many people were  (a) proceeded against and  (b) convicted of an offence under the provisions of the (i) Badgers Act 1991, (ii) Deer Act 1991, (iii) Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996 and (iv) Hunting Act 2004 in (A) 2008 and (B) 2009; and if she will make a statement.

Richard Benyon: The number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for offences under the provisions of the Badgers Act 1991, Deer Act 1991, Wild Mammals Protection Act 1996 and Hunting Act 2004 in 2008 can be viewed in the table.
	Data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010.
	
		
			  Number of persons proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts of selected offences related to wild mammals and the Hunting Act 2004, England and Wales, 2008( 1, 2, 3) 
			  Statute  Offence description  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			 Badgers Act 1973 as amended by Criminal Justice Act 1991 S.26 and Badgers Act 1991 S.1 Offences of cruelty to badgers and special protection for badgers and their setts 22 11 
			 Badgers (further protection)  Act 1991 S.1 Failing to give up a dog for destruction or having custody of a dog while disqualified 14 11 
			 Deer Act 1991 Killing or injuring deer by shooting, trap, snares etc. 4 1 
			 Wild Mammals (Protection)  Act 1996 Offences under this Act 6 5 
			 Hunting  Act 2004 Offences under this Act 44 33 
			 Total  90 61 
			 (1) Excludes convictions for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. (2) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (3) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice.

Rainforests

Angie Bray: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps her Department is taking to increase public awareness of the effects of illegal logging on the climate and rainforest.

James Paice: Awareness of the effects of illegal logging is important as UK consumers have every right to know how their purchases impact on other parts of the world, and that responsible UK companies are able to trade on a level playing field with others in the timber trade. Agreement was recently reached on the EU Timber Due Diligence Regulation, which aims to eradicate illegal timber from the EU market, attracting media interest, notably from the BBC and  The Sunday Times.
	We will seek to take advantage of future opportunities to publicise the work we are doing in this area, and to reiterate the Government's commitment to tackling illegal logging. We work closely with non-governmental organisations and the timber industry, and will use these relationships to further increase public awareness of the effects of illegal logging.

Rainforests

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to improve cross-departmental co-operation to tackle tropical deforestation.

James Paice: Tropical deforestation has negative repercussions for actions to combat climate change, halt biodiversity loss and foster development in some of the world's poorest communities. Therefore it is vital that UK efforts to combat deforestation are co-ordinated. As well as cross-departmental co-operation at official level, regular trilateral meetings between the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and the Secretary of State for International Development ensure that action to tackle deforestation is co-ordinated across Government.

Rights of Way

Angela Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she next plans to publish guidance on design standards and legal requirements for gates and stiles on public rights of way.

Richard Benyon: We are currently considering whether we should publish guidance to local authorities and, if so, what form it should take.

Rural Payments Agency

Elizabeth Truss: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total cost to the public purse was of fines issued by the European Union to the Rural Payments Agency and its predecessors for failures related to weaknesses in mapping and insufficient checks on claimants in each year since 1993.

James Paice: holding answer 9 September 2010
	 The Rural Payments Agency, and formerly MAFF, have been disallowed the following amounts under area based aid schemes.
	
		
			  Scheme  Scheme years  Value of disallowance (£ million)  Summary of reason for disallowance 
			 Single Payment Scheme (SPS) 2005 and 2006 88.3 Perceived weaknesses in Rural Land Register, administrative procedures for controls and cross checks, elaboration of risk analysis, performance of on-the-spot checks and calculation of sanctions 
			 Arable Area Payments Scheme (AAPS) 2003 and 2004 54.9 Perceived weaknesses in on-the-spot checks using remote sensing 
			 AAPS 2001 11.5 Perceived weaknesses in quality of remote sensing 
		
	
	There is no disallowance associated with this issue prior to 2001. To date no disallowance has been proposed against the Single Payment Scheme after the 2006 scheme year.

Stray Dogs

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she plans to take to reduce the number of stray dogs.

James Paice: A consultation on the legislation relating to dog control and encouraging responsible dog ownership recently closed, and we will need to review the responses to this before considering any future action. In addition, action can be taken under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 against those who fail to look after their animals.
	This year the Government issued a code of practice to promote the welfare of dogs, and encourages all responsible pet owners to have their pets microchipped.

Tides: Medway Towns

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the risk of flooding in the Medway towns from a surge tide coinciding with a spring tide; and what assessment she has made of likely changes to that level of risk over the next fifty years.

Richard Benyon: The Environment Agency assessment of flood risk is the likelihood of flooding occurring in any given year expressed as a percentage. The Environment Agency has assessed the tidal flood risk to the Medway Towns, considering a 5% (1 in 20 year event), 0.5% (1 in 200 year event) and 0.1% (1 in 1000 year event) chance of flooding, now and in 50 years time.
	This assessment has been made taking into account defences in place and the chance of peak surge coinciding with a spring tide.
	
		
			  Event type  Number of properties at risk 
			   2010  2060 
			 5% (1 in 20 years) 70 240 
			 0.5% (1 in 200 years) 255 770 
			 0.1% (1 in 1,000 years) 700 1,155

Wheat: Prices

Hilary Benn: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the effect of changes in global wheat prices on food prices in the UK.

James Paice: Despite international wheat prices rising by some 50% since the start of July, a global wheat shortage is unlikely due to high levels of stocks being carried globally from previous record crops. In the UK, wheat accounts for less than 10% of the cost of a typical loaf of bread, and cereal feed costs account for up to 15% of the retail value of pork and chicken. In the absence of a sustained surge in grain prices, or sharp rises in energy prices, the overall effect on consumers should be limited. The Department will continue to monitor the situation.

Wood: China

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what recent progress has been made in her Department's joint study to assess options for a Chinese timber legality verification scheme.

James Paice: Studies on markets and comparisons of timber legality verification systems have been completed. We are currently working in collaboration with the Chinese Government on the preliminary recommendations for options to develop a system to verify the legality of China's timber imports and exports.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Algeria

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Algeria.

Alistair Burt: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no immediate plans to visit Algeria.

Arms Trade: Treaties

David Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the UN Secretary-General on negotiations towards an international arms trade treaty; and if he will make a statement.

William Hague: Whilst I have not yet discussed the arms trade treaty negotiations with the UN Secretary-General, I look forward to doing so at the General Assembly. This Government have made clear their continued support for the UN process towards an international arms trade treaty. The UK played a full and active role in the first phase of the UN negotiations which took place in New York in July 2010.

Burma: Political Prisoners

David Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken in relation to the treatment of the Generation 88 Burmese activists Htay Kywe, Mie Mie and Zaw Htet Ko Ko.

William Hague: The arrest in 2007, of Htay Kywe, Mie Mie and Zaw Htet Ko Ko and their subsequent long term imprisonment, were actions by the military Government of Burma designed to keep the leaders of the 1988 Generation Students movement out of politics. We are aware of reports that Zaw Htete Ko Ko is suffering from medical problems and that many detainees suffer ill treatment and are held in harsh conditions far from their families. The Coalition Government have sustained international attention on the plight of all political prisoners in Burma and my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Jeremy Browne, publicly endorsed Amnesty International's campaign for the release of the three leaders. In my meetings with ASEAN and other regional Ministers, I have specifically raised the UK's continuing concern over political prisoners. Our embassy in Rangoon is monitoring these specific cases closely and our ambassador in Rangoon repeatedly raises the need for the release of all political prisoners with ministers in the Burmese military government and will continue to do so. We will raise the issue of Burma's political prisoners in the forthcoming session of the UN Human Rights Council and other multilateral meetings.

Burma: Political Prisoners

David Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken in relation to the arrests of the Burmese ethnic Karenni political activists Khun Bedu, Khan Kawrio and Khun Dee De.

William Hague: The arrest in May 2008, of Khun Bedu, Khun Kawrio and Khun Dee De by the military regime of Burma and their long prison sentences are part of a concerted effort to suppress the legitimate demands of Karenni and other ethnic communities. My right hon. Friend, the Minister responsible for our relations with South East Asia, Jeremy Browne, raised Burma at the EU-ASEAN meeting on 26 May 2010, at which the Burmese Foreign Minister was present. He made clear that the continued detention of all political prisoners is unacceptable and that a process of inclusive dialogue and reconciliation with the ethnic groups is essential for the future stability of Burma.
	G8 leaders released a statement urging the regime to release without delay all political prisoners, with strong UK support. Our ambassador in Rangoon also repeatedly raises the need for the release of all political prisoners with ministers in the Burmese military government, and will continue to do so.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agency and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Alistair Burt: The following table shows the breakdown of payments to suppliers in August 2010.
	
		
			   Number of invoices processed in August 2010  Paid within 30 days (from the date of the invoice)  Paid between 31-60 days  Paid between 61-90 days  Paid over 90 days 
			 FCO (UK) 2,181 1,913 268 129 83 
			 FCO Services 999 990 7 2 0 
			 Wilton Park 297 (1)245 46 1 5 
			 British Council 6,342 6,205 71 21 45 
			 (1) Of which 61 were paid within 10 days. 
		
	
	These payment times are measured from the "date of the invoice" however the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), its agencies and non-governmental public bodies all support the Government's Prompt Payment Initiative which measures performance from date of the receipt of a valid supplier invoice.
	In accordance with the prompt payment guidelines for Government Departments the FCO paid 1,712 supplier invoices in August under this initiative of which 97.4% were paid within 10 days of receipt, FCO Services paid 96% of their invoices and British Council paid 90% of their invoices within the 10 day threshold.

Departmental Pensions

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which he is responsible in (A) Scotland, (B) Wales, (C) region of England and (D) Northern Ireland in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2010-11.

Alistair Burt: The cost of pension contributions incurred by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and its non-departmental bodies and agencies is as follows:
	
		
			  £  m illion 
			   2007-08  2008-09  2009-10  2010-11( 1) 
			 FCO (inc. Wilton Park) 64.92 58.62 58.11 56.70 
			 British Council 11.01 14.58 15.06 13.60 
			 BBC World Service 9.50 9.20 10.70 10.60 
			 Westminster Foundation for Democracy 0.09 0.10 0.11 0.13 
			 (1 )Forecast. 
		
	
	The above figures include the pension contributions of UK-based staff and those who are locally engaged.
	Provisions made for staff leaving the FCO as a result of early retirement exercises are not included in the above figures. Further information on such costs is available in the FCO Resource Accounts published each year by the FCO and the annual reports published by the British Council, the Westminster Fund for Democracy and the BBC World Service.

Departmental Rents

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much was paid by his Department in rent for properties in  (a) total and  (b) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK in each of the last five years.

Alistair Burt: The information requested is set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ 
			   2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Total spent by FCO on rental of properties in UK 1,722,750 1,725,250 1,618,312 1,756,000 1,194,487 
			 Total spent in South East 82,500 85,000 150,000 150,000 331,487 
			 Total spent in London 1,640,250 1,640,250 1,468,312 1,606,000 863,000 
			 Total spent in England 1,722,750 1,725,250 1,618,312 1,756,000 1,194,487 
		
	
	Expenditure has increased in the south east region due to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) successfully relocating a number of roles from our London offices to the Milton Keynes area in line with the recommendations of the Lyons Review. As of March 2010, 442 roles had been moved from central London.

France: Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on incidents of anti-Semitism in France since July 2010; and if he will make a statement.

David Lidington: On 6 September 2010 French Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux stated that there had been 47 actions and 190 threats of anti-Semitism recorded for the first three months of 2010. The Minister reiterated the French Government's condemnation of any act of anti-Semitism. We do not have more recent statistics.
	The Government condemn anti-Semitism and all forms of racism.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the establishment of facilities in Syria for the production of missiles to be supplied to Hezbollah; what reports he has received on the source of funding for the facility; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of reports of Syrian facilitation of missiles to Hizballah. I raised my concern with Syrian Foreign Minister Muallem during my visit to the region in July.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received reports on the transfer of weapons from Syria to Hezbollah in Lebanon, with particular reference to Scud missile transfers.

Alistair Burt: We are concerned by recent reports of weapons transfers to Hezbollah, including Israel's concerns that Scud missiles have been transferred.
	During my recent visit to Lebanon I raised the issue with Prime Minister Hariri and underlined the importance of implementing UN Security Council Resolution 1701 which calls for the disarmament of all armed groups.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what  (a) reports of and  (b) representations on the recent blog post by HM Ambassador to Lebanon on the death of the late Sheikh Fadlallah he has received; whether he has taken any steps in consequence; whether he has discussed the matter with his counterparts in (i) Israel, (ii) Lebanon, (iii) Egypt and (iv) the United States; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The ambassador expressed a personal view on Sayyed Fadlallah, describing the man as she knew him. The blog did not fully reflect Government policy and has since been removed.
	The blog received widespread commentary, getting coverage in both the UK and the region, with a range of reactions.
	The Lebanese Foreign Minister raised the matter with me during my recent visit to Lebanon in July.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the present locations of Hezbollah military capability in Lebanon, with particular reference to infrastructure located alongside civilian installations.

Alistair Burt: We are concerned by Hezbollah's own claims that it possesses significant military capabilities. We assess that since the end of the 2006 Lebanon conflict Hezbollah has replenished its holdings of both short and long range rockets and missiles.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the capacity of the UNIFIL mission to fulfil its mandate in respect of asserting the return of the effective authority of the government of Lebanon  (a) south and  (b) north of the Litani River, with particular reference to monitoring Hezbollah military activity.

Alistair Burt: UN Interim Force In Lebanon (UNIFIL) plays a vital and positive role in maintaining peace and security in southern Lebanon. However it faces a number of challenges in working to achieve this. These have recently been underlined by the attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers south of the Litani river in early July and increased tensions on the Israel/Lebanon border.
	The UK supported recent press comments by the Security Council condemning the July attacks on UNIFIL peacekeepers, and calling for UNIFIL's security to be respected so that it can fulfil its mandate.
	I also discussed these points with the Lebanese Government, during my visit to the region on 13-14 July. We continue to support UNIFIL, and to press for the full implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
	I should note that UNIFIL does not have a mandate for action north of the Litani river.

Hezbollah

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the comments of HM Ambassador to Lebanon on the death of the late Sheikh Fadlallah represent a change in British policy towards Hezbollah; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: No, the ambassador's comments expressed a personal view and do not represent a change in our policy on Hezbollah.

Human Rights

David Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many meetings on human rights policy he has had with non-governmental organisations since his appointment.

William Hague: Overseas visits have precluded my holding such meetings so far but I am looking forward to seeing some of them this autumn. Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Ministers have met a wide range of human rights non-governmental organisations (NGOs) since the new Government took office, including Amnesty International UK, Human Rights Watch, UNICEF, Global Witness, Saferworld, Article 19, Womankind and Minority Rights Group to discuss the government's human rights priorities. FCO Ministers have also met NGOs to discuss the specific situation in certain countries prior to their visits.

Human Rights Annual Report 2010

David Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many of his Department's staff worked on the Annual Report on Human Rights during April 2010.

William Hague: The 2009 Annual Report on Human Rights was launched in March 2010. Over 50 staff in London were involved in writing the 2009 report, drawing on contributions from our overseas missions. During April 2010, Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials distributed the report, responded to questions about it and sought feedback on its use. Staff in our missions around the world continue to monitor and report on human rights and this will contribute to the reporting I will lay before Parliament next year.

India: Nuclear Power

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Prime Minister received assurances from the Indian Government on the separation of India's military and civil nuclear programmes before his announcement of civil nuclear co-operation.

Alistair Burt: In negotiating its exception from the Nuclear Suppliers Group Guidelines, India reaffirmed a number of voluntary non-proliferation commitments, including the phased separation of its civilian nuclear facilities. Since 2008, India has made significant progress in this area, and a number of India's civilian nuclear facilities are now under International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) safeguards. The UK Government urge India to continue this process of separation. UK export control arrangements will only permit trade in cases where the transfer of nuclear equipment, materials or technology is for civilian use only, and export licences will continue to be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

India: Nuclear Power

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have received representations from any other government party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty on the UK's proposed civil nuclear co-operation with India.

Alistair Burt: The UK Government have not held detailed discussions with other states regarding our civil nuclear co-operation with India. Together with other nuclear supplier states, the UK continues to monitor the international transfer of sensitive nuclear goods and technology through the Nuclear Suppliers Group regime.

Iran: Baha'i Faith

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of Iran on the imprisonment of members of the Baha'i community in that country; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: I met with the Iranian ambassador on 18 August to discuss this and a range of other human rights concerns. I made it clear that the UK remains extremely concerned by the sentencing of the seven Baha'i leaders to 20 years imprisonment. My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary had already made it clear, in his statement of 11 August 2010, that we find these sentences entirely unacceptable, and that the UK and international community see it as unacceptable victimisation of the Baha'i faith by the Iranian state.
	We will continue to remind Iran of the international commitments it has freely signed up to, and urge the Iranian Government to cease its harassment of the Baha'i minority, and to respect the rights of the many members of minority groups. These groups continue to face arrest and lengthy prison sentences, often on vaguely worded charges of acting against national security.

Iran: Missiles

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the range of any ballistic missiles held by Iran.

Alistair Burt: The Iranian ballistic missile programme continues to be of serious proliferation concern, primarily because of the missiles' potential utility as weapons of mass destruction delivery systems. Recent Iranian technical advances, including the launch of the Qiam missile in August, have increased the range of the missiles and reduced launch preparation time.
	The international community has expressed serious concern about Iran's nuclear programme through six successive UN Security Council Resolutions (UNSCR). UNSCR 1929 specifically prohibits Iran from undertaking activity related to ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons.

Iran: Uranium

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent estimate he has made of the quality of all  (a) enriched uranium and  (b) 20 per cent. enriched uranium held by Iran.

Alistair Burt: The director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has issued a number of reports on Iran, all making clear that Iran had shown no sign of suspending its enrichment-related activities and continued to stockpile uranium, as required by six UN Security Council resolutions and numerous IAEA resolutions. The estimates in his May report showed Iran had produced 2,427 kg of low enriched uranium since the start of operations in February 2007, and that Iran had also produced a total of 5.7 kg of uranium enriched to nearly 20%, a significant step towards weapons grade enrichment.

Libya: Abdelbaset al-Megrahi

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what documents the Government have made available to the United States in relation to Abdelbaset al-Megrahi since 20 July 2010; if he will place in the Library a copy of each such document; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: On 29 July the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provided to the Senate all related documents that had been previously released under the Freedom of Information Act in 2009. The FCO, Ministry of Justice and Scotland Office all released documents under the Act. Copies of these documents will be placed in the House Library.
	The FCO also drew the US Senate's attention to FCO, Ministry of Justice, and Scottish Executive correspondence that was released into the public domain on 1 September 2009. The web links to these documents are:
	 Ministry of Justice
	http://search.justice.gov.uk/kbroker/justice/justice/search/search.lsim?qt=megrahi&sr=0&nh=10&cs=iso-8859-l&sc=justice&sm=0&sf=&mt=0&ha=1178
	 Scottish Executive
	http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Justice/legal/lockerbie/correspondence
	 Foreign and Commonwealth Office
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/resources/en/news/11646391/20779431/al-megrahi-miliband-010909

Malaysia

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his most recent assessment is of UK relations with Malaysia; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Our close relations with Malaysia are founded on strong cultural and historical connections. We have significant trade, defence and education links, share membership of the Commonwealth and regularly cooperate on a range of shared priorities. We are committed to strengthening our relations further as part of our enhanced engagement with the world's emerging powers. This is already under way:
	my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary met Foreign Minister Anifah on 2 August; and
	my noble Friend right hon. Lord Howell of Guildford visited Malaysia on 11 August.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the shooting of four residents in the Beit Hagai settlement near Hebron on 31 August 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Four Israelis were killed in an attack on 31 August 2010. The military wing of Hamas has claimed responsibility.
	We condemn such despicable acts of terrorism which must not be allowed to derail the talks. We call on all parties to refrain from any activity that could undermine the search for a just and lasting settlement.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the shooting of two civilians at Rimonim Junction, east of Ramallah, in September 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: Two Israelis were wounded on the West Bank in an attack on their car on 1 September. The military wing of Hamas has claimed responsibility. This followed an attack on 31 August in which four Israelis were killed.
	We condemn such despicable acts of terrorism which must not be allowed to derail the talks. We call on all parties to refrain from any activity that could undermine the search for a just and lasting settlement.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of raids by Egyptian police on weapons depots in Sinai on 28 and 29 August 2010; and if he will make a statement. [R]

Alistair Burt: The UK remains in close touch with the Egyptian authorities on a range of security issues, and are aware of recent press reports about the discovery of an estimated 300 anti-aircraft missiles and over 100 kg of explosives in Sinai allegedly destined for Gaza.
	Together with the international community, the UK is working hard to help prevent the smuggling of weapons into Gaza as well as easing access restrictions for humanitarian and reconstruction relief.

Syria

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to improve UK relations with Syria.

Alistair Burt: We have full diplomatic relations with Syria and a wide ranging relationship covering areas of mutual interest-such as the Middle East Peace Process-as well as other issues of concern to the UK including Human Rights and Counter Proliferation.
	In July I visited Damascus and had a number of useful meetings with Ministers of State, Syrian business leaders and the British Council in Damascus, where we discussed areas of mutual cooperation.
	We will continue to work to build our relationship and to take forward discussions on these issues.

WALES

Departmental Official Hospitality

Ian Austin: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much her Department spent on hospitality for events hosted by each Minister in her Department in July 2010.

David Jones: Nil.

Departmental Rents

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was paid by her Department in rent for properties in  (a) total and  (b) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK in each of the last five years.

David Jones: My Department rents part of a building in Cardiff. The following costs for the past five years include service and utility charges as well as rent as they could be disaggregated only at a disproportionate cost:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 146,273 
			 2006-07 163,078 
			 2007-08 178,602 
			 2008-09 184,438 
			 2009-10 177,693 
		
	
	In 2005-06 the Wales Office also rented a property in London to provide office space for a team working on the Government of Wales Act at a cost of £36,326.
	No other properties have been rented by my Department.

Prisons

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Justice on prison capacity in Wales.

David Jones: My right hon. Friend met my hon. Friend the Prisons Minister in July, to discuss prison capacity in Wales.

Referendums

Ian Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  what recent discussions she has had with the  (a) First Minister of the Welsh Assembly Government and  (b) Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales on the wording of the question in a referendum on law-making powers of the National Assembly for Wales;
	(2)  if she will hold a consultation on the wording of any referendum question proposed under the provisions of the Government of Wales Act 2006.

Cheryl Gillan: I have discussed the referendum wording on a number of occasions with the First Minister and Presiding Officer. Both have welcomed the Electoral Commission's recent report and both have confirmed that they support my decision to accept the Commission's revised preamble and question.
	I wrote to the Electoral Commission on 23 June 2010 seeking its views, and on the same day informed the House that I had done so. I allowed the Commission the 10 weeks it had requested for its consultation and assessment, which included carrying out public opinion research, gathering views from interested parties including potential campaign organisations and political parties as well as key accessibility groups and the Welsh Language Board. This also included seeking advice from experts on plain language and accessibility in English and Welsh. Anyone could have made their views known to the Commission during that period. There is no statutory requirement to conduct further consultations on the question.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Sexuality

Meg Hillier: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what meetings  (a) she and  (b) the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State in the Government Equalities Office have had with international counterparts to discuss international standards for the treatment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Lynne Featherstone: In July, we published Working for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGB & T) Equality, which included a commitment to use our international influence to encourage other countries to advance LGB and T equality.
	We are committed to using meetings with our international counterparts and any other levers available to us to tear down the barriers that still exist for LGB and T people throughout Europe and around the world.

DEFENCE

Armed Forces Pay

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans his Department has for armed forces pay; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: We are determined that members of the armed forces should receive a remuneration package commensurate with the vital role they play, often in the most difficult circumstances, in the service of this country. SDSR decisions later this year will shape the future employment of service personnel and will also influence our plans for armed forces pay.

Korean Peninsula

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the security situation in the Korean Peninsula; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: We continue to work across Whitehall, and with our international partners, to monitor developments on the Korean peninsula. The situation has remained tense since the sinking of the Republic of Korea Naval vessel, the Cheonan, in March of this year as a result of a North Korean attack. We also remain concerned about North Korea's nuclear programme and its ongoing role in the proliferation of military material. Long-term stability on the Korean peninsula will only be achieved through the complete and verifiable denuclearisation of North Korea. We believe the Six Party Talks offer the best prospect for achieving this. It is essential that North Korea abandon its current course and create the conditions for the resumption of talks.

Army Personnel Figures

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel were serving in the Army on the latest date for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: As at 1 July 2010, the full-time trained strength of the Army stood at 102,500. I refer the hon. Member to the latest Quarterly Manning report which is available on the Ministry of Defence website.

US and UK Military Co-operation

Henry Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of co-operation between the US and the UK on military matters.

Liam Fox: The US remains our most important strategic and military ally. Both countries continue to gain significant benefit from co-operation across the spectrum of military capability.

Royal Gurkha Rifles

Damian Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the role of the Royal Gurkha Rifles in the Army.

Nick Harvey: The Strategic Defence and Security Review is looking at the size and shape of the armed forces and the functions they perform. No decisions have yet been taken.

Improvised Explosive Devices: Helmand

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he plans to take to counter the threat from improvised explosive devices in Helmand province.

Nick Harvey: We take the protection of our armed forces extremely seriously and strive continuously to reduce the risk they face and improve their protection. The combined effect of our continuous improvements to use the right training and tactics together with enhancements that have already been made to our counter-improvised explosive device capability are making a difference.
	On 30 June 2010, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced an additional £67 million for counter-IED capabilities to protect our troops in Afghanistan. This includes over £40 million for more protected vehicles for use by our counter-IED teams as well as some £5 million for more remote control vehicles. The remaining funds will be used to enhance other critical capabilities in the counter-IED campaign, including enhancements to our military working dog capability.

Military Forces: EU Integration

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to integrate UK military forces with those of other EU member states.

Liam Fox: No. The Strategic Defence and Security Review is considering options for closer bilateral co-operation with key nations, including partners in Europe. NATO will remain the cornerstone of our defence.

Defence Industry: Lancashire

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the likely effects on employment in the defence industry in Lancashire of reductions in levels of defence spending.

Peter Luff: We recognise the major contribution made to UK defence and the wider economy, by industry throughout the North West of England, and particularly in Lancashire. The Strategic Defence and Security Review is still under way and therefore it would be premature to speculate about the impact of future levels of defence expenditure.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 26 July 2010,  Official Report, column 615, on Afghanistan: peacekeeping operations, what information his Department holds on the number of civilian deaths which may have been caused by the use of air-to-ground weapons by Reaper air-to-ground weapons since May 2008.

Liam Fox: The UK Government do not collate or publish figures for civilian casualties in Afghanistan because of the immense difficulty and risks of collecting robust data.
	Every effort is made to avoid civilian casualties and any that are the result of action by UK armed forces are always a matter of profound regret. Should we become aware of incidents in which we may have caused civilian casualties, we undertake a full investigation in accordance with international security assistance force and UK processes.

Afghanistan: Peacekeeping Operations

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with how many British-based private security companies his Department has a contract for the provision of services in Afghanistan; and if he will make a statement.

Liam Fox: The Department does not contract with British-based private military security companies in Afghanistan.

Armed Forces Day

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to mark Armed Forces day 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The national event for Armed Forces day 2011 will be held on 25 June 2011 in Edinburgh. Plans are currently being formulated that will once again give the whole country the opportunity to "honour Britain's armed forces' past, present and future."

Armed Forces: Drugs

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of each regiment of the Army were dismissed for using illegal substances in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The information is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Empty Housing

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of service family accommodation units had been continuously empty for  (a) six,  (b) six to 12,  (c) 12 to 24,  (d) 24 to 36,  (e) 36 to 48,  (f) 48 to 60 and  (g) more than 60 months on 30 June 2010.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 9 September 2010
	Against an overall total of 49,505 service family accommodation (SFA) properties in the UK, the following table shows the length of time they have been unoccupied as at 7 September 2010.
	
		
			  Time scale  Number of SFA properties  Proportion of total SFA (Percentage) 
			 Less than 6 months 4,184 8.5 
			 6 to 12 months 1,010 2.0 
			 12 to 24 months 831 1.7 
			 24 to 36 months 403 0.8 
			 36 to 48 months 211 0.4 
			 48 to 60 months 164 0.3 
			 Over 60 months 263 0.5 
		
	
	There are a number of reasons why properties may be held void for extended periods of time, this includes the location where they are held, pending future basing decisions or awaiting disposal action.
	Like for like information for overseas SFA is not available.

Armed Forces: Empty Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of his Department's housing stock is  (a) void and  (b) uninhabited.

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many and what proportion of service accommodation units were empty on 30 June 2010.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) records those service family accommodation (SFA) properties or single living accommodation (SLA) bed-spaces which are void rather than uninhabited or empty.
	Accommodation is usually only void for short periods to allow for routine moves of service personnel, improvement or modernisation work, demolition or disposal. The Department will always need to maintain a management margin of void accommodation for these purposes.
	As at 1 July 2010, the closest date for which figures are available, the following numbers of UK and overseas SFA properties were void:
	
		
			  Location of SFA  Number of void properties  As a percentage of total stock 
			 UK 7,338 14.8 
			 Overseas 2,968 19.2 
		
	
	The MOD is on target to reduce the percentage of void properties in the UK to 10% by 2012.
	As at 6 July 2010, the closest date for which figures are available, 52,375 SLA bed-spaces worldwide were void. This represents 35.6% of the total stock. While this appears high, it will include accommodation for those temporarily away on training or operations.

Armed Forces: Ethnic Groups

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many minority ethnic service personnel were recruited to each service  (a) nationally and  (b) in Gloucester in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The number of ethnic minority personnel recruited nationally and through the armed forces careers office in Gloucester over the last five years is given in the following table.
	
		
			   Royal Navy  Army  RAF 
			  Financial year  UK  Gloucester  UK  Gloucester  UK  Gloucester 
			 2005-06 94 0 911 6 29 1 
			 2006-07 93 0 1,079 6 37 0 
			 2007-08 87 0 1,402 8 64 0 
			 2008-09 89 1 1,626 6 124 2 
			 2009-10 92 1 1,054 10 98 0

Armed Forces: Housing

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department takes to consult service personnel and their families on their preferred priorities for accommodation upgrades.

Andrew Robathan: The UK Service Family Accommodation (SFA) upgrade programme endeavours to provide the best value for money options to provide the maximum benefit to the greatest number of families, and decisions will take into account future strategic requirements, together with potential disposal plans.
	Accommodation upgrades are prioritised on a greatest need first basis, and are set in agreement with the three single services.
	A follow-up survey identical in content to the one undertaken by the National Audit Office (NAO) during 2008 was carried out on SFA occupants in the UK during December 2009. Subject to future funding, the results of this survey will feed into future SFA improvement strategies.

Armed Forces: Housing

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on implementing recommendation  (a) 2, on strategic review,  (b) 3, on management of void properties,  (c) 4, on contractor management,  (d) 5, on preparation of properties for new occupants,  (e) 6, on improving the processes of allocations and move-in and move-out and  (f) (i) 7 and (ii) 8, on involving families of the National Audit Office report of Session 2008-09 on Service Families Accommodation, HC 13; and what account his Department has taken of modern living requirements in implementing each recommendation.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently undertaking a Strategic Defence and Security Review. The rationalisation and development of future estates and the management of defence infrastructure is included within it. The outcome will be announced in due course.

Armed Forces: Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the  (a) longest,  (b) shortest and  (c) average time taken was to make repairs to forces accommodation from the point of a call out in each of the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: The repair and maintenance of service accommodation worldwide is carried out under many different arrangements, managed by different areas of the Department. Given this fact, the requested information for each of the last 12 months is not held centrally and can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was charged to occupants of Modern Housing Solutions accommodation for repair of damage caused by them in each of the last 12 months.

Andrew Robathan: Charges are raised to cover the cost of remedial work to service family accommodation where occupants vacate a property leaving it below the required move-out standard. Charges are not raised for normal wear and tear and any charges for the replacement of lifed items such as carpets will take into account the remaining life of the item.
	It is not possible to identify charges raised against occupants of properties maintained by modern housing solutions from other UK properties maintained by other contractors. The total charges raised for UK properties in each of the last 12 months are as follows:
	
		
			   Amount charged (£) 
			 September 2009 111,748 
			 October 2009 102,023 
			 November 2009 85,139 
			 December 2009 54,006 
			 January 2010 76,102 
			 February 2010 104,057 
			 March 2010 62,199 
			 April 2010 97,122 
			 May 2010 72,190 
			 June 2010 87,546 
			 July 2010 73,958 
			 August 2010 74,525

Armed Forces: Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints Modern Housing Solutions received regarding animal infestations in service accommodation in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The requested information is not recorded separately and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many calls were made to his Department's special forces housing helpline in 2009.

Andrew Robathan: There are several dedicated housing help lines. Repairs to service family accommodation (SFA) properties in the UK are carried out under the Housing Prime Contract (HPC) in England and Wales, the Regional Prime Contract (RPC) in Scotland and separate arrangements exist in Northern Ireland (NI). In all cases occupants can report faults and request repairs via a freephone helpdesk.
	The HPC is being delivered by Modern Housing Solutions (MHS) who is responsible for maintaining some 45,000 properties. The MHS helpdesk received some 393,656 calls in 2009, of which some 226,889 resulted in work orders being raised. Although the total number of calls regarding SFA in Scotland and NI is not available, the RPC raised 15,424 work orders for Scottish SFA in 2009 and 11,148 were raised for NI SFA.
	Given the number of different maintenance regimes, the requested information for overseas SFA is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) single living and  (b) service family accommodation units his Department has in (i) the UK and (ii) overseas.

Andrew Robathan: The current number of service family accommodation (SFA) properties and single living accommodation (SLA) bed-spaces in the UK and overseas are:
	
		
			  Number 
			   SFA properties  SLA bed-spaces 
			 UK 49,505 128,701 
			 Overseas 15,489 18,112

Armed Forces: Housing

Tim Farron: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses owned by his Department were rated as grade  (a) one,  (b) two,  (c) three and  (d) four in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: The majority of the 65,000 service family accommodation (SFA) properties worldwide are leased rather than owned by the Ministry of Defence. SFA is graded for charge and by standard for condition (SfC), a detailed measure of the physical condition of a property with Standard 1 being the highest and Standard 4 the lowest. While families are no longer allocated SfC SFA, a small number have chosen to remain in these properties for personal reasons.
	For the years 2005 to 2008, the following number of properties in the UK were at each SfC:
	
		
			   S1fC  S2fC  S3fC  S4fC 
			 2005 26,426 20,774 2,792 195 
			 2006 28,796 18,950 2,309 159 
			 2007 29,691 17,910 2,165 145 
			 2008 28,354 17,414 2,098 109 
		
	
	In 2008, a new condition survey of SFA properties in England and Wales was undertaken, with similar surveys now also under way in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Those UK properties so far surveyed as at December 2009 were at the following SfC:
	
		
			   Number 
			 SlfC 12,718 
			 S2fC 19,689 
			 S3fC 1,034 
			 S4fC 204 
		
	
	Like for like figures are not available for overseas SFA. However, as at October 2009 overseas properties were at the following SfC:
	
		
			   Number 
			 SlfC 4,390 
			 S2fC 3,930 
			 S3fC 4,152 
			 S4fC 2,848 
			 Not yet assessed 99

Armed Forces: Housing

Kris Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions his Department has been proceeded against for non-payment of  (a) council tax and  (b) utility bills owed on properties in the defence housing estate in each of the last five years.

Liam Fox: Under the Council Tax (Exempt Dwellings) Order 1992, all domestic accommodation for UK service personnel is exempt from council tax but the Ministry of Defence (MOD) pays contributions in lieu of council tax (CILOCT) to billing authorities. Almost all MOD housing is therefore subject to CILOCT payments.
	Prior to 1 April 2008, records of payments are not centrally held and could be only provided at disproportionate cost.
	In the period from 1 April 2008 to date, the MOD has received a total of four summonses from local magistrates courts for non payment of CILOCT. In three instances these resulted from errors by the local authority and were withdrawn. The other instance resulted from a property being inadvertently excluded from a return by the MOD. Payment was therefore made and the summons rescinded.
	There have been no occasions of the Department being proceeded against for the non-payment of utility bills in UK in the last five years. Occupants of service families accommodation are directly responsible for the payment of utility bills.

Armed Forces: Housing

Kris Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many empty properties on the defence housing estate his Department has  (a) made ready for occupation and  (b) moved service families into in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: All properties offered to occupants are ready to occupy, although in some cases additional work may require completion after move-in, where it was not possible to do this beforehand.
	The number of moved service families in each of the last five years is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Number of move-ins( 1) 
			 2006 19,639 
			 2007 18,186 
			 2008 19,444 
			 2009 18,518 
			 2010 (to 6 September) 12,512 
			 (1 )Figures are for Great Britain only up to 31 March 2008 and for UK thereafter.

Armed Forces: Injuries

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on  (a) offering employment in the military for those members of the armed forces who are injured while on active service and  (b) guaranteeing continued employment for such people for the period for which they would have served; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 27 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 1053-54W, to the hon. Member for Loughborough (Nicky Morgan).

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times Army technical officers have been called out to deal with  (a) suspected and  (b) actual explosive devices in Northern Ireland in (i) 2010, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2008, (iv) 2007 and (v) 2006.

Nick Harvey: The following table details the number of Explosive Ordinance Disposal tasks attended in Northern Ireland and the number of these that involved an explosive device. A complete and reliable set of data for 2006 is not held.
	The data for 2010 is for tasks up to 31 August 2010.
	
		
			   2006  2007  2008  2009 ( 1) 2010 
			 Total Tasks attended (2)- 246 334 505 329 
			 Incidents involving an explosive device (2)- 26 38 44 63 
			 (1) To date (2) Not known

Armed Forces: Northern Ireland

Ian Paisley Jnr: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much it cost to run the Army Technical Operation (Bomb Disposal) in Northern Ireland in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Harvey: Ministry of Defence accounting systems do not hold financial data in the format requested.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many pension payments have been processed by the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency in each year since 2007.

Andrew Robathan: The Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) is the occupational pension scheme for the three services including the reserves. The War Pension Scheme (WPS) is a benefit programme that provides no fault compensation to former service personnel and their dependants for injuries and death as a result of service before 6 April 2005, with the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) providing this compensation since that date.
	As at 31 March 2010 there were:
	323,714 AFPS pensions and 75,126 dependants (spouses, partners and children) pensions in payment, most of which are paid monthly.
	148,377 war pensioners and 30,690 dependants (spouses and civil partners) receiving monthly or weekly benefit payments for injury, illness or death under the WPS.
	169 injured former service personnel and 232 dependants (spouses, partners and children) receiving ongoing guaranteed income payments (GIPs) under the AFCS. Additionally, there are a number of injured personnel still in service who will be entitled to a GIP on leaving the services.
	Information on the number of AFPS pension, war pension payments and AFCSC GIPs processed is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated total annual pension cost is expected to be in 2020 of payments to  (a) uniformed armed forces,  (b) uniformed regular armed forces and  (c) uniformed reserve armed forces personnel who will then be in receipt of a pension.

Andrew Robathan: The forecast pension spend for the armed forces pension scheme is not available beyond 2014-15 and is not broken down between the regular and reserve armed forces. The forecast spend in 2014-15 is £4.7 billion.

Armed Forces: Pensions

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the total annual pension cost was in the last full year for which figures are available of payments to all  (a) uniformed reserve armed forces,  (b) uniformed regular armed forces and  (c) uniformed armed forces personnel who are in receipt of a pension.

Andrew Robathan: The total annual pension cost of pensions paid to former service personnel or their dependants under the armed forces pension scheme (AFPS) is not broken down between the regular and reserve armed forces. In 2009-10 £3.47 billion was paid under the AFPS.

Army: Expenditure

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average annual percentage change in spending on the Army was between  (a) 1980 and 1997 and  (b) 1997 and 2010.

Nick Harvey: This information is not held in the format requested.
	The budgetary structure of the Ministry of Defence does not show separately the costs of the three individual Armed Services (Royal Navy, Army and Royal Air Force). This is because large parts of the Armed Services operate as fully integrated joint organisations in which elements from the Navy, Army and Air Force work closely together and share land, buildings and facilities, and sometimes equipment. The MOD's Permanent Joint Headquarters, which commands most of our military operations, is one example. Another is the defence equipment and support organisation which provides front line commands with equipment and logistic support.

Army: Manpower

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the average annual percentage change in the size of the Army was between  (a) 1980 and 1997 and  (b) 1997 and 2010.

Nick Harvey: The full time trained strength of the Army declined by an average annual rate of 2.18% between 1980 and 1997 and increased by an annual average rate of 0.06% between 1997 and 2010.
	The Territorial Army declined by an average annual rate of 0.70% between 1980 and 1997 and declined by an annual average rate of 3.98% between 1997 and 2010.
	Due to the implementation of the Joint Personnel Administration System on 1 April 2007, percentage changes between 1997 and 2010 are provisional and subject to review.

Army: Recruitment

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has put in place to recruit more high explosives and ordnance experts to the Army.

Nick Harvey: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has more than doubled the number of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) teams operating in Afghanistan in the past 12 months.
	EOD operators are not recruited directly from civilian life. Those recruited must already have attained at least the rank of Sergeant (or equivalent) and be able to demonstrate tactical technical experience in a related field. In April this year the MOD began recruiting EOD operators from the wider Army (Royal Engineers, bomb disposal officers), Royal Navy (EOD divers) and Royal Air Force (EOD armourers) rather than from solely the Army's Royal Logistic Corps. In time, this is expected to give a further significant boost to the number of trained experts available.

Chelsea Barracks: Sales

Jason McCartney: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the document entitled Meeting the aspirations of the British people: 2007 pre-budget report and comprehensive spending review, Cm 7227, whether the full proceeds of the sale of the Chelsea barracks site were allocated for expenditure on armed forces accommodation.

Andrew Robathan: There is no specific link between disposal receipts and individual elements of defence expenditure. Exceptionally, however, the disposal of Chelsea barracks, which was sold for £959 million, was included in the plans of the Department and underpinned investment in-service accommodation of £250 million in 2007-08.
	In addition it was agreed as part of the 2007 comprehensive spending review that a further £550 million should be invested in accommodation over the following three years with plans for the balance of the proceeds of £159 million, to be agreed with HM Treasury as part of the current 2010 Spending Review due to be concluded later in the autumn.
	The disposal of Chelsea has, therefore, secured the major investment in-service accommodation through Project SLAM (Single Living Accommodation Modernisation), the service housing upgrade programme and many other significant accommodation projects in the UK and overseas to improve the living conditions for our service personnel.

Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's staff who have worked in Iraq or Afghanistan are covered by the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

Andrew Robathan: All Ministry of Defence (MOD) civil servants are covered by the Civil Service Compensation Scheme (CSCS).
	Since 2003, MOD has deployed some 1,700 civil servants to operational theatres, including Iraq and Afghanistan.
	The MOD has also employed some locally engaged civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan, some of whom may be eligible for some coverage under the CSCS.

Cyprus: Armed Forces

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many  (a) Army,  (b) Royal Air Force and  (c) Royal Navy personnel there are in Cyprus.

Nick Harvey: The strength of UK regular service personnel, as at 1 July 2010, stationed in Cyprus are:
	
		
			  Service  Number 
			 Army 1,640 
			 RAF 900 
			 RN 30 
			 British forces Cyprus total 2,570 
		
	
	These figures may vary as personnel change location or are deployed on operations.
	In addition, there are 300 personnel deployed to the UNFICYP mission in Cyprus.
	A copy of the Defence Analytical Services and Advice publication TSP 10 (UK Regular Forces Stationed Location) has been placed in the Library of the House.

Cyprus: Armed Forces

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people employed by his Department in Cyprus are  (a) UK citizens and  (b) non-UK citizens.

Nick Harvey: The information is not held in the format requested.
	The numbers of civilian staff employed by British Forces Cyprus on 3 September 2010 was as follows:
	
		
			  Civilian staff type  Number 
			 UK based civilians 330 
			 UK dependants 310 
			 Locally engaged civilians 1,210 
		
	
	There are also a number of civilians employed by Defence contractors in Cyprus, the numbers and nationalities of whom are not held centrally.

Cyprus: Armed Forces

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many children  (a) under 10 years old and  (b) between 10 and 18 years old of UK military personnel are being educated in Cyprus.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is currently educating 953 children under 10 years old and 489 children between the ages of 10 and 18 in its schools in Cyprus. It is not possible to split these numbers between children of military personnel and those of UK based civilians. Not all parents choose to educate their children within the MOD school system.
	The Cyprus schools educate the children of MOD contractors and some local community children on a fee paying basis. In addition to the numbers above there are currently 17 children under 10 years old and 43 children aged between 10 and 18 being educated on this basis.

Cyprus: Armed Forces

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the estimated value is of  (a) land and  (b) buildings owned by his Department in Cyprus.

Andrew Robathan: As at November 2009, the net book value of the land and buildings owned by the Ministry of Defence in Cyprus was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Land 185 
			 Buildings 445 
		
	
	The land in Cyprus is held under some freehold and various leasehold arrangements with the Republic of Cyprus.

Defence: Exports

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to increase levels of UK defence exports.

Gerald Howarth: We have publicly stated that we intend to re-energise Government support to defence exports. Defence exports make an important contribution to sustaining our defence industry, including tens of thousands of highly skilled jobs. They also help to build relationships with key strategic partners, and provide economies of scale for our own procurement.
	We will achieve this in part through an active and innovative programme for defence diplomacy. We also recognize the need to commission equipment which is exportable, and we are embedding this in our future acquisition planning. We are working with industry to bring a clearer understanding of the export marketplace.

Defence: International Cooperation

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his French counterpart on Anglo-French defence co-operation.

Liam Fox: I have regular discussions with my French counterpart, the most recent on 3 September 2010 in Paris when we discussed a range of issues, including bilateral defence co-operation, NATO transformation and Afghanistan.

Departmental Allowances

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence reimbursed service and civilian staff £145.6 million for business expense claims incurred on official duty in 2009-10. This includes a wide range of expenses and allowances including: subsistence, motor mileage and incidental expenses.
	Comparable information is not held centrally before 2009-10 and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. All figures exclude the cost of business expenses paid direct by the Department and not reimbursed to staff.
	The ability of staff to claim for legitimate business expenses is essential to enable the proper conduct of MOD business. We have sites in many parts of the country, and internationally, and staff need to travel between them, and work while they do so.
	All MOD staff incurring business expenses are required to demonstrate the highest standards of financial propriety and a level of restraint commensurate with being Crown servants. We are further constraining how much is spent on expenses in the present economic conditions. A key principle is that travel should be avoided where the business need can be met by alternatives to travel, such as e-mail and video or audio conferencing.
	Information regarding the 10 largest service and civilian staff reimbursements for business expenditure claims in each year since 1997 is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Ex-servicemen

Louise Bagshawe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many referrals from the Department of Work and Pensions the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency has received in each year since 2007.

Andrew Robathan: There are no data collected on the source of any referrals to the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA). However, the SPVA Veterans Welfare Service works very closely with the Department for Work and Pensions (on shared IT platforms) and has agreements in place which allow the SPVA to provide assistance on claims for statutory DWP benefits. The SPVA does record action taken to support customers including onward referrals.

Germany

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) one-bedroom,  (b) two-bedroom,  (c) three-bedroom and  (d) four-bedroom properties are owned by his Department in Germany.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence does not own any one-bedroom, two-bedroom, three-bedroom or four-bedroom properties in Germany.
	The housing in Germany consists of German Federal stock, which are those built and maintained by the Ministry of Defence on land provided by the German Federal authorities, and hirings which are leased from landlords.

Germany: Military Bases

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the book value is of sites and buildings owned by his Department in Germany.

Andrew Robathan: As at November 2009, the net book value of the sites (land) and buildings owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in Germany was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Sites (land) 0 
			 Buildings 380 
		
	
	The land in Germany and the majority of the buildings are not owned by the MOD but there have been made available to the Department under a host nation agreement with the federal authorities.

Gibraltar: Military Bases

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the book value is of the  (a) sites and  (b) buildings owned by his Department in Gibraltar.

Andrew Robathan: As at November 2009, the net book value of the sites (land) and buildings owned by the Ministry of Defence (MOD) in Gibraltar was as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 Sites (land) 18 
			 Buildings 125 
		
	
	The majority of the land used by the MOD is owned by the Crown.

Gibraltar: Weapons

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has had discussions with the government of Gibraltar on methods of disposing of old ordnance other than exploding it off the coast of Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: Over the last two weeks, Ministry of Defence officials have had two meetings with the Gibraltar Department of the Environment to explore options for the demolition of munitions with minimal possible risk to the environment.
	Further demolitions of munitions under water in Gibraltar have been suspended until a better solution has been found.

Glasgow

Ian Davidson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of his Department's staff at Kentigern House in Glasgow work on duties relating to  (a) military staff based in Scotland and  (b) (i) military and (ii) civilian staff based (A) in England, Wales or Northern Ireland and (B) overseas.

Andrew Robathan: There are approximately 1,400 people working at Kentigern House in Glasgow, roughly 60% of which work for the Army Personnel Centre. The remainder are attached to various other Ministry of Defence organisations, principally the Service Pensions and Veterans Agency.
	All MOD organisations within the building work either directly or indirectly towards the common outputs of pay, manning and career management of all the members of the armed forces, regardless of where they are serving.

Gurkhas

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the future of the Brigade of Gurkhas; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: The Strategic Defence and Security Review is looking at the size and shape of the armed forces and the functions they perform. No decisions have yet been reached.

Gurkhas: Anniversaries

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to mark the 200th anniversary of Gurkha soldiers serving in the British Army.

Andrew Robathan: The 200th anniversary of Gurkha service to the British Crown will fall in 2015. Plans to mark this notable anniversary in an appropriate way are still at an early stage.

Russia: Military Aircraft

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times Royal Air Force aircraft have been deployed from each base to intercept Russian aircraft in each of the last five years.

Nick Harvey: The number of days on which Royal Air Force Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) aircraft have been launched in response to Russian military aviation in the each of the last five years is contained in the following table.
	
		
			   Number of days QRA launched in response to Russian military aviation 
			 2006 1 
			 2007 19 
			 2008 10 
			 2009 11 
			 2010(1) 6 
			 (1 )To date. 
		
	
	QRA aircraft are held at ground readiness at RAF Coningsby and RAF Leuchars. I am withholding information about from which base QRA aircraft were launched for each incident as its disclosure would, or would be likely to, prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the armed forces.

Trident

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the Statement of 17 June 2010,  Official Report, columns 1040-41, on public spending, in which country the company contracted to provide the Successor Deterrent Extension and Concept Long Lead Items to be reviewed under the Trident value for money review has its headquarters.

Liam Fox: holding answer 8 September 2010
	No company, headquarters or country has been selected as no contracts have been let for Long Lead Items for the Trident Successor programme.

Warships: Deployment

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which ships of the Royal Navy are deployed on operations at sea; and where each is deployed.

Liam Fox: As at 9 September 2010 the following Royal Navy ships are deployed on operations at sea:
	 Middle East:
	HMS Somerset
	HMS Chiddingfold
	HMS Grimsby
	HMS Pembroke
	HMS Middleton
	HMS Enterprise
	RFA Cardigan Bay
	RFA Lyme Bay
	RFA Bayleaf
	RFA Diligence
	 Horn of Africa:
	HMS Northumberland
	HMS Montrose
	 Mediterranean:
	HMS Sabre
	HMS Scimitar
	RFA Fort Victoria
	 Baltic:
	HMS Penzance
	 North Atlantic:
	HMS Manchester
	RFA Wave Ruler
	 South Atlantic:
	HMS Gloucester
	HMS Portland
	HMS Clyde
	RFA Black Rover
	HMS Ocean
	 Home Waters:
	HMS Tyne
	HMS Severn
	HMS Mersey
	HMS Gleaner
	HMS Echo
	In addition two frigates, two mine counter measure vessels, two patrol vessels and one RFA ship are at notice for contingent operations in home waters.

Wind Power

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the terms of the memorandum of understanding signed on 11 June 2008 between his Department, the wind energy industry and the then Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform.

Andrew Robathan: The terms of the Memorandum of Understanding can be found on the Department for Energy and Climate Change website using the following link:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/assets/decc/what%20we%20do/uk%20energy%20supply/energy%20mix/renewable%20energy/planning/on_off_wind/aero_military/file46583.pdf

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Work Experience

Luciana Berger: To ask the Prime Minister how many unpaid interns have been employed in No. 10 Downing Street since April 2010.

David Cameron: There have been no unpaid interns employed in No. 10 Downing street since April 2010.

India

Angus Robertson: To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers and officials accompanied him on his visit to India in July 2010.

David Cameron: As set out in the Ministerial Code, Departments will publish, at least quarterly, details of all travel overseas by their Ministers. Information for the period 13 May to 31 July 2010 will be published shortly.

India

Michael Weir: To ask the Prime Minister whether any representatives of the nuclear industry accompanied him on his visit to India in July.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the press notice issued by my office on Tuesday 27 July 2010. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Industrial Health and Safety: Departmental Responsibilities

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Prime Minister which Minister has lead responsibility for the review of health and safety law; and what role he is playing in the review.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the article on the No. 10 website at
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/latest-news/2010/06/pm-announces-review-of-health-and-safety-laws-51726

Petitions

Luciana Berger: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  how many e-petitions there were on the Downing Street website with  (a) fewer than and  (b) more than 500 signatures on 6 April 2010;
	(2)  for what reasons responses will not be issued to e-petitions to No. 10 Downing Street which had fewer than 500 signatures on 6 April 2010; and if he will contact signatories of such petitions to inform them no response will be made;
	(3)  for what reasons a response will be made to e-petitions to No. 10 Downing Street which had more than 500 signatures submitted before 6 April 2010.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the statement on the Number 10 website which can be found at:
	http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/

School Milk

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)   (a) on what date and  (b) by what means he was first informed of Department of Health proposals to end the nursery milk scheme;
	(2)  what discussions he had had with the  (a) Secretary of State for Health and  (b) Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Health about proposals to end the nursery milk scheme.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the press briefing given by my official spokesman on 9 August 2010. A copy of the transcript is available on the No. 10 website at:
	http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/press-briefings/2010/08/morning-press-briefmg-from-9-august-2010-54404

INDEPENDENT PARLIAMENTARY STANDARDS AUTHORITY COMMITTEE

Departmental Public Relations

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many staff are employed by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority (IPSA) to work on public relations; what the total cost to the public purse of employing staff for public relations work has been since it began operation; and which  (a) agencies and  (b) Government departments have provided staff to undertake such work for IPSA in that period.

Charles Walker: IPSA currently employs two members of staff in its communications team. One person has responsibility for external communications, including the media, and one person has responsibility for internal communications and website management. A director of communications will soon be joining IPSA to provide strategic oversight and direction to its communications activities.
	Since IPSA began operations on 7 May 2010, the total spend on employing staff for all aspects of communications activities has been £37,840. This includes the associated expenditure of national insurance and employer pension contributions and VAT on contracted staff supplied by GovGap.
	No Government Departments have provided staff to IPSA's communication team in this period. IPSA received communications advice and support from Apex Communications during the initial phase of operation as it was recruiting and establishing its in-house communication team, but does not any more.

ICT

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what the  (a) value and  (b) length of contract is for the computer system used by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority; and with which organisation the contract is made.

Charles Walker: The Contract is with Calyx (UK) Ltd. The length of the contract is five years from February 2010.
	The scope of the contract covers infrastructure and enterprise software support as follows:
	 Infrastructure support covers:
	Server hardware, desktops and laptops, network hardware, office infrastructure, firewalls, anti-virus, web proxy and hosting services, WAN link, security solutions, email, telephony.
	 Enterprise software support covers:
	Software support for financial accounting, online expense system, payroll, HR, customer management system.
	The annual value of the contract including both infrastructure and enterprise support is £194,000 in the first year and £252,000 per year in subsequent years.

Manpower

Glenda Jackson: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many  (a) full-time and  (b) part-time staff work for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority; and if the Authority will publish its standard employment contract for staff.

Charles Walker: As of 19 July 2010, IPSA has 83 staff of whom:
	 (a) 82 are full-time; and
	 (b) one part-time.
	IPSA will send the standard employment contract template to the hon. Member.

Manpower

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many full-time staff each department of the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority employs; and what the staff turnover has been in each week since 1 May 2010.

Charles Walker: As of 27 July 2010, there are 78 full-time members of staff working at IPSA, broken down as follows.
	
		
			   Permanent  Temporary 
			 Chief Executive's Unit 1 1 
			 Operations 16 35 
			 Finance and Corporate Services 4 11 
			 Policy, Communications and Secretariat 6 4 
		
	
	There has been no turnover in our permanent staff since 1 May 2010. Due to the nature of temporary employment, there are no figures available for turnover in temporary staff.

Members: Allowances

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, if he will list each of the changes made to the rules and procedures implemented by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority since its inception.

Charles Walker: A small number of changes to the MPs' Expenses Scheme were introduced in July 2010, following the consultation required by the Parliamentary Standards Act. The changes are detailed in "The MPs' Expenses Scheme: Second Edition", which has been made available to all MPs and is available on:
	www.parliamentarystandards.org.uk
	In addition since 7 May 2010, IPSA has introduced a number of changes to procedures to help MPs, including:
	the introduction of a £4,000 advance for MPs and advance payments on production of invoices for a number of high cost items;
	a facility for proxies to process expenses for MPs who are not their employer;
	the extension of the 90 day deadline for claims until 1 October 2010;
	the introduction of the "grace period" until early September, under which claims submitted over the summer which are outside the rules will not be published.
	These and other changes have been documented in the IPSA MPs' Bulletin, which is sent to all MPs each week and available on:
	www.parliamentarystandards.org.uk

Members: Allowances

Ann McKechin: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many refusals of claims had been communicated to hon. Members by means of  (a) the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority website and  (b) by email for the period to 7 September 2010.

Charles Walker: Where a claim is refused in full or in part, MPs are provided with summary details of the refusal via the online system under heading 'Refusals'. By close of business on 9 September, 25,872 claim lines had been approved and 1,574 claim lines had been refused.
	Currently refusals are not communicated via e-mail.

Members: Allowances

Ann McKechin: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what proportion of claim refusal decisions communicated to hon. Members by 7 September 2010 were accompanied by accurate written accounts of the reasons for which claims had been refused.

Charles Walker: IPSA does not currently communicate refusal decisions by e-mail. MPs are provided with summary details of the refusal via the online system under heading 'Refusals'. IPSA is developing a process to provide MPs with an automated e-mail alert informing them of the status of claims and to enable Members to view detailed refusal reasons.

Members: Allowances

Ann McKechin: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority staff are authorised to make claim refusal decisions on claims; and what procedures are followed in circumstances in which such staff make an error in communicating such a refusal decision to an hon. Member.

Charles Walker: Currently seven senior members of IPSA staff are able to make final decisions on MPs expense claims. Where a claim is refused, MPs are able to request a review within 14 days on the grounds that the rules have been applied inconsistently or that IPSA has made an administrative error. If the review finds that the claim should have been paid, the claim is revisited and processed. Individual members of staff are informed of the review and further training is provided where required.

Members: Allowances

Ann McKechin: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many documents submitted to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority by hon. Members in support of their claims had been lost in the period to 30 August 2010.

Charles Walker: IPSA does not record numbers of documents which are thought to have been lost.

Members: Allowances

Ann McKechin: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, what procedures are followed by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority to record the receipt of supporting documents submitted in relation to claims made by hon. Members; and whether the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority plans to review those procedures.

Charles Walker: Post deposited in the drop box in Portcullis House is collected by hand and, together with the mail posted directly to IPSA, is sorted every morning. MPs' expense claims and accompanying receipts are placed in individual, transparent pockets with all staples and paperclips removed. Each claim is then logged using documentation tracking software and scanned directly to the online expenses system for validation. The documents are then filed immediately to Members' records. Currently all post received is sorted, logged, scanned and filed within one day. All IPSA processes during this initial phase of operations are kept under review.

Members: Allowances

Michael Meacher: To ask the hon. Member for Broxbourne, representing the Speaker's Committee for the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority, how many and what proportion of telephone calls to the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority from hon. Members were not answered within 15 minutes in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Walker: It is not possible to provide the requested statistics at this time. IPSA intends to provide MPs with information on its performance against its call handling and other service targets shortly.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Short Money

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Leader of the House what formula is used for calculating Short money; when that formula was set; and what mechanism is used to monitor the usage of allocated funds.  [Official Report, 12 October 2010, Vol. 516, c. 3MC.]

George Young: For 2010-11, the formula used to calculate each opposition party's Short money funding is: £14,351 multiplied by the number of seats won by a party's candidates at the general election; plus £27.99 multiplied by one two hundredth of the number of votes cast at the election. The formula was set by a resolution of the House of 26 May 1999 and has been uprated by increases in the retail prices index since then.
	Each Opposition party that receives Short money is required to submit a report from an independent professional auditor, after the end of each financial year, that all the expenses for which the party received financial assistance under the terms of the resolution were incurred exclusively in connection with the party's parliamentary business. The relevant criteria are set out in notes provided to the auditors.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts Council East: Finance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much was allocated in grants to Arts Council East in  (a) each of the last five financial years and  (b) 2010-11; and how much he plans to provide in grant funding to Arts Council East in 2011-12.

Hugh Robertson: The value of grants allocated by Arts Council England to Arts Council East in each of the last five years can be seen in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Grant allocated (£) 
			 2005-06 21,939,675 
			 2006-07 16,794,153 
			 2007-08 17,924,637 
			 2008-09 30,745,018 
			 2009-10 33,182,886 
			 2010-11 (1)11,894,520 
			 (1) Please note this figure applies to an incomplete financial year 
		
	
	Arts Council England has not received its grant in aid settlement for 2011-12 yet, so future budget allocations have not been decided.

Arts: Finance

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on  (a) reductions in the expenditure of arts organisations funded by his Department and  (b) the future levels of arts funding.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State has met colleagues at the Treasury regularly, including the Chancellor of the Exchequer, to discuss the Spending Review amongst other matters.

BBC: Finance

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent discussions he has had with the BBC Trust on the BBC's use of licence fee revenue; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: I have made it clear in discussions with the BBC that it must demonstrate it is operating efficiently and must set the highest standards in providing value for money to licence fee payers.
	We expect discussions on the future level of the licence fee to begin next year.

Camelot

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the grounds for the National Lottery Commission's interim decision to refuse Camelot's application for a licence to provide commercial services; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: We have received four representations on the National Lottery Commission's (NLC) 'minded to' decision to refuse Camelot's application for a licence to provide commercial services.
	Whether to allow Camelot to provide commercial services rests properly within the NLC's remit as regulator. The NLC are rightly independent from political intervention or control on these matters NLC's closing date for representations to their 'minded to' decision is Friday 17 September.

Churches: Repairs and Maintenance

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent representations he has received on the continuation of the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

John Penrose: This Department has received a wide range of representations from individuals, congregations and faith groups about the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme. I appreciate that the scheme is well liked and has played a significant role in supporting repairs to places of worship, and I can fully understand their desire for certainty over the scheme's future to be given at the earliest opportunity. This decision can only be taken, however, as part of the wider discussions about Government spending priorities in the next spending round. We will ensure that we publicise any decisions as soon as possible.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agency and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

John Penrose: The number of payments in the latest period this Department and its Executive agency, The Royal Parks, made to suppliers within and over 30, over 60 and over 90 working days of date of receipt are in the table.
	
		
			  Number 
			  June to August 2010  Within  30 days  Over  30 days  Over  60 days  Over  90 days 
			 DCMS 1,247 6 0 0 
			 The Royal Parks 1,292 60 23 5 
		
	
	The Department does not collate this information for its arm's length bodies. Accordingly, I have asked their chief executives to write to the hon. Member for Shipley. Copies of their replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Departmental Work Experience

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many unpaid, expenses-only internships there have been in  (a) his Department and  (b) public bodies which fall within his Department's area of responsibility in the last 12 months.

John Penrose: There has been one unpaid internship in DCMS in the last 12 months.
	The Department does not hold this information for its public bodies. Accordingly, I have asked their chief executives to write to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Wavertree. Copies of the replies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Digital Broadcasting: Pensioners

George Freeman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will estimate the average cost per pensioner household of upgrading radio equipment in vehicles and properties in preparation for the proposed switchover from analogue to digital radio in  (a) England and Wales and  (b) Mid Norfolk constituency.

Edward Vaizey: The Government have made no such estimate.
	However, on 8 July the Government published the Digital Radio Action Plan, which outlines information the Government will need in order to make a well-informed decision on whether to proceed with a radio switchover. This will include a detailed cost benefit analysis of the radio switchover; such as the cost to consumers of household and vehicle conversion.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

George Freeman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what percentage of radio listeners in  (a) England and Wales and  (b) Mid Norfolk use digital radio; what percentage of people in (i) England and Wales and (ii) Mid Norfolk are not able to receive digital radio signals; and when full digital radio coverage will be available in Mid Norfolk.

Edward Vaizey: The weekly reach(1) of digital radio in the UK is 38.7% of the population, while digital radio listening equates to 24.6% of all radio listening. The Government do not hold separate listening figures for the nations or regions.
	The table sets out national and Nations coverage as calculated in 2008. We hold no such data at a regional level.
	
		
			  Current DAB coverage (percentage of population) 
			   UK  England  Wales 
			 Mobile DAB 92.2 94.1 73.6 
			 Indoor DAB 82.2 83.7 63.3 
		
	
	We are working with broadcasters and operators to agree a plan for increasing DAB coverage, although ho decision has yet been made in respect of Mid Norfolk.
	(1) The number of people aged 15+ who tune to a radio station within at least one quarter-hour period over the course of a week. Respondents are instructed to fill in a quarter-hour only if they have listened to the station for at least five minutes within that quarter-hour. Between 24.00-06.00, listening is recorded in half-hour periods.

Digital Broadcasting: Radio

George Freeman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what discussions he has had with broadcasters to ensure that public service radio broadcasting continues to provide universal coverage in  (a) England and Wales and  (b) Mid Norfolk after the digital switchover.

Edward Vaizey: The Government have been clear that digital radio switchover can only occur once DAB coverage is comparable to current FM coverage. To this end we are working closely with the BBC, Ofcom, and the multiplex operators to both define current FM coverage levels and make recommendations for future DAB roll-out.

Employment: East Lothian

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will meet representatives of the Big Lottery to discuss the effects of the withdrawal of funding from the Pathways programme in East Lothian constituency on its work helping people with a history of substance abuse return to further education, training or employment.

John Penrose: I am afraid I have no plans to meet representatives of the Big Lottery Fund to discuss this issue. The Big Lottery Fund, as with all lottery distributors, rightly makes its funding decisions independently of Government, and decides on its own funding priorities and programmes. In any case, I understand that the Big Lottery Fund is not withdrawing funding from the Pathways to Education, Training and Employment project in East Lothian.

Horse Racing: Betting

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if he will review the operation of the horserace betting levy to ensure that payments are collected effectively;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the horseracing industry on Government support for that industry;
	(3)  if he will bring forward proposals to apply the horserace betting levy to  (a) bookmakers who move their business offshore and  (b) betting exchanges.

John Penrose: I have met with representatives of both racing and bookmaking to discuss the levy and seek suggestions about how it might be improved or, if possible, suitably replaced. I am currently considering what potential changes I may make to the levy structure and will discuss these ideas further with the Levy Board later this month. I have also received representations from the British Horseracing Authority, on behalf of racing, on the future of the Horserace Totalisator Board.

Museums and Galleries: Fees and Charges

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will encourage the Arts Council to relax its free entry conditions on grants to allow recipients to charge admission to art galleries and other arts venues; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Arts Council England (ACE) operates at arm's length from Government and it is for them to set the conditions associated with the grants they make.
	Although it is not ACE's standard policy to stipulate free entry conditions to grants, there may be individual grants which carry this condition in relation to local circumstances, or a proposal in the grant application.

Museums, Libraries and Archives Council

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what impact assessment he has  (a) commissioned and  (b) evaluated on the abolition of the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council.

Hugh Robertson: No formal impact assessment was commissioned. The basis for the decision has been the need to find savings in all areas of the Department's spending, and to ensure that every pound of public money we allocate to supporting libraries, archives and front-line museum services gives the maximum benefit.

Ofcom: Performance Measurement

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has made an assessment of Ofcom's performance in meeting its objectives for the draft Initial Obligations Code.

Edward Vaizey: We have made no assessment of the draft initial obligations code yet. My officials are engaged with Ofcom as they develop the code in the light of the responses that they received to their consultation, and when the code is ready, then we will look at it carefully. It should also be noted that before the code can be finally consented to by the Secretary of State and put to Parliament for approval, it will need to be notified to the European Commission and member states under the terms of the technical standards directive, who will have a minimum of three months in which to consider it.

Olympic Games 2012: Finance

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how much has been drawn down from the Olympic Contingency Fund in the last 12 months.

Hugh Robertson: As reported in the latest London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games Quarterly Report, published in July 2010, we started with £2.0 billion, of which, £790 million has been allocated, including £110 million this year, leaving £1.2 billion. Any further allocations of contingency will be reported in subsequent 2012 quarterly reports, the next of which is expected to be published in early November 2010.

Press Complaints Commission

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will bring forward proposals to improve the independence of the Press Complaints Commission.

Edward Vaizey: The Press Complaints Commission is independent from Government. It has over recent years sought to improve its independence from the industry by increasing the number of lay members that serve on the Commission. These now form a clear two thirds majority. We have no plans to suggest any changes.

Press: Regulation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the provisions of the Code of the Press Complaints Commission on harassment and privacy; and if he will seek a strengthening of the provisions of the Code in those respects.

Edward Vaizey: The Editors Code of Practice, overseen by the Press Complaints Commission, sets out how the press regulates itself. It is a self-regulatory mechanism, and while the Government might suggest a particular change if they considered one necessary, they could certainly not impose one. We have no plans for suggesting any changes.

Press: Regulation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will assess the adequacy of arrangements for regulation of the press.

Edward Vaizey: The Government strongly support self-regulation of the press. We monitor informally how the arrangements are working, and give careful consideration to the results of regular parliamentary scrutiny from, for example, the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, but have no plans to carry out a formal review.

Press: Regulation

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what guidance his Department has given to the Press Complaints Commission on the definition of the public interest.

Edward Vaizey: The Press Complaints Commission is independent from Government. We have given no guidance on how it should define the public interest.

Regional Arts Councils

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what plans he has for the future of regional arts councils; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The future of regional arts councils is the responsibility of Arts Council England, since they were subsumed in to the national structure in 2003. We understand there are no plans to review the role of regional arts councils at present.

S4C: Finance

Jonathan Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport if he will meet members of the Welsh Language Society to discuss future funding arrangements for S4C.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport met with members of the Welsh Language Society when they demonstrated outside the Department on 9 September.

Sports

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many athletes identified during a UK Sport Talent Identification and Development campaign are in receipt of an Athlete Personal Award as part of that body's World Class Performance Programme.

Hugh Robertson: There are currently 16 athletes in receipt of UK Sport Athlete Personal Awards (APAs) as well as World Class Performance Programme support. Sports can also provide APAs to support athletes with their sporting and living costs and a further 12 athletes are in receipt of governing body APAs.
	Although not all athletes identified through UK Talent campaigns have access to APAs, a total of 121 athletes have progressed to their sports' World Class Performance Programmes (WCPP). The WCPP provides coaching, training and competition support, medical and scientific services and access to the best facilities that the UK (and often the world) has to offer.

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Audit Commission

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to which organisations he expects the Audit Commission's  (a) audit,  (b) assessment,  (c) research and  (d) data-matching functions to be transferred.

Bob Neill: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government told the House in response to an urgent question from the hon. Member for Sheffield South East (Mr Betts) on 7 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 179-86, we are seeking to put the Commission's in-house audit practice into the private sector. Its research activities will end and, with the ending of comprehensive area assessments, many of the Commission's functions have disappeared. As my right hon. Friend made clear, we are now working closely with local government, the health sector, the Commission, the accounting sector and other partners to complete the detailed design of the new arrangements, including an appropriate future for the Commission's important anti-fraud data-matching functions.

Audit Commission: Tyne and Wear

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many residents of Washington and Sunderland West constituency were employed by the Audit Commission on 12 August 2010.

Bob Neill: I have been informed by the Audit Commission that it employed two residents of Washington and Sunderland West constituency on 12 August 2010.

Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the effectiveness of the operation of the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The Government are carefully considering the future of the Community Infrastructure Levy. A public announcement is likely to be made soon.

Council Housing: Finance

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent estimate he has made of the level of outstanding capital investment requirements for arm's length management organisations.

Andrew Stunell: ALMOs have estimated that around £2 billion is required to complete their Decent Homes investment programmes. Future funding for the Decent Homes programme will be decided in the context of the spending review.

Departmental Art Works

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) artist,  (b) estimated value and  (c) description is of each piece of artwork commissioned for display in his Department since 12 May 2010.

Bob Neill: Communities and Local Government have not commissioned any works of art for display in the Department since the 12 May 2010.
	All artwork on display in Ministers' Offices and in some communal areas of the Department is on loan from the Government art collection.
	The Department has recently procured a printed portrait of Her Majesty the Queen for display in the reception of Eland House at a cost of £256.74 including VAT. This was funded from savings made by consolidating seven sets of papers and periodicals for Ministers and special advisers, delivering over £15,000 a year in ongoing revenue savings. Previously the Department did not possess a portrait of Her Majesty, despite it being the legal title holder of the Government's civil estate on behalf of the crown.

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Bob Neill: In July 2010 Communities and Local Government paid 93.14% of invoices within 10 days and in August 2010 91.66% of invoices were paid within 10 days.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: The following table details invoices paid in August 2010:
	
		
			  Invoices paid in August 2010 
			  Days 
			   Within 30  Over 30  Over 60  Over 90  Total 
			 Communities and Local Government 1,608 39 7 8 1,662 
			 Government Office Network 578 7 2 1 588 
			 Fire Service College 269 3 0 0 272 
			 Planning Inspectorate 253 0 0 0 253 
			 Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre 147 0 0 0 147 
		
	
	Details of invoice payments made by the Department's non-departmental public bodies could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the  (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years.

Bob Neill: As consultancy contracts are often paid at a fixed price and are output based we cannot quote an average daily rate. The highest rate paid on a cost volume contract (with a total contract value exceeding £20,000) in 2009-10 was £2,143 per day. This was a director rate for ad hoc work, this relates to the contract with PA consulting for FireControl.
	Figures for earlier years could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Relations

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much his Department spent on external public relations in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Perth and North Perthshire (Pete Wishart) on 9 September 2010,  Official Report, column 603W. A breakdown of the Department's spend on communications and marketing can be found at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/corporate/about/howwework/corporatereports/reportsaccounts/communications marketingreports/

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Bob Neill: The Department does not hold a central record of all external training courses attended by staff in the last 12 months and this information could be provided only at a disproportionate cost. A central people development team is responsible for providing or coordinating training where a strategic or priority need is identified across the Department as a whole. Where training needs are identified which fall outside of the centrally-managed programme, arrangements are made by individuals or teams in accordance with departmental procedures and guidance and with costs met from within agreed budgets for general administrative expenditure. While departmental systems can identify expenditure on learning and development activities, it is not currently possible to differentiate between expenditure on courses and expenditure on other forms of learning and development activity. Notwithstanding my Department has published all its expenditure over £500 online in 2009-10 as part of our ongoing transparency initiative.

Gloucestershire Tri-Service Emergency Centre

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much of the office space of the Gloucestershire Tri-Service Emergency Centre at Waterwells is not in use.

Bob Neill: The information requested is held locally and not by my Department.

Government Offices for the Regions: Redundancy

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to avoid redundancies from the Government Office Network in regions where there are vacancies in other parts of the civil service.

Greg Clark: The Secretary of State's announcement on 22 July made clear that final decisions regarding the future of the Government offices will be made at the end of the Spending Review following consideration of consequential issues. Any decisions on the redeployment or release of staff will therefore be made once the Spending Review is complete. We are, however, already working with sponsor Departments with the aim of agreeing arrangements which will maximise the opportunities for redeployment and which in turn will minimise the possibility of compulsory exits in the event of the closure of the network.

Homelessness

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps the Government is taking to reduce levels of homelessness  (a) nationally and  (b) in the West Midlands.

Grant Shapps: The Government are committed to tackling and preventing homelessness. We have established a new cross-Government working group on homelessness bringing together Ministers from eight Government Departments to address the complex causes of homelessness and rough sleeping. A new approach to evaluating rough sleeping levels is being introduced so that there is clear information in all areas, to inform service provision and action to address the problem. £74 million in homelessness grant to local authorities and the voluntary sector has been allocated in 2010-11 to support work to prevent homelessness, including £2.7 million for local authorities in the west midlands.

Homelessness: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the number of people in  (a) Coventry and  (b) the West Midlands who were homeless in each year since 2000.

Grant Shapps: Summary tables giving the number of households accepted as owed a main homelessness duty, the number of households in temporary accommodation arranged by each local authority and rough sleeper counts and estimates for the past 10 years have been placed in the Library of the House.
	Information about local authorities' discharge of their duties under homelessness legislation is collected on quarterly P1E returns. Summary information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected at local authority level, and published by the Department in the quarterly Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness, available both in the Library and via the CLG website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	Data collected include the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority must secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes available and this information is also collected.
	Information is also collected on rough sleeping. Since 1998, only councils in areas
	with a known, or suspected, rough sleeping problem were required to conduct an official rough sleeper count-which meant that only 70 councils submitted information to central Government. Figures published in July 2010 showed that under this previous method, on any given night there were 440 rough sleepers in England. However, when the remaining 256 councils provided estimates of the scale of the problem in their areas, this added a further estimated 807 rough sleepers-taking the national total to 1,247 rough sleepers on any given night.
	Under new guidance all councils across England will now provide information on rough sleeping. This move follows consultation with homelessness charities and councils and is aimed at getting a clearer picture of the scale of the problem in each area so more targeted support can be provided to some of the most vulnerable in society.
	Rough sleeping figures are published by the Department on the CLG website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/roughsleepingcount2010

Housing Improvements: Finance

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent representations he has received on the level of assistance available for adaptations to dwellings and aids to enable elderly people to continue to live in their homes; if he will meet representatives of Age UK to discuss that matter; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: CLG has received representations from the Home Adaptations Consortium in respect of the Disabled Facilities Grant programme that provides funding to local authorities for adaptations. Any further statements in respect of the Disabled Facilities Grant programme will be made following the spending review settlement.

Housing: Empty Property

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment he has made of the effect of council tax discounts on second properties on the number of empty properties.

Bob Neill: No assessment has been made of the effect of council tax discounts on second properties on the number of empty properties. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 23 February 2010,  Official Report, column 477W.

Housing: Empty Property

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many empty dwellings there are in each local authority area.

Bob Neill: I have today placed in the Library of the House, a table giving details of the number of empty dwellings in each local authority in England in October 2009. The figures given include both short-term and long-term empty dwellings.
	The data are as reported to Communities and Local Government by all 326 billing authorities in England on the annual Council Tax Base (CTB) and CTB (Supplementary) forms.

Housing: Empty Property

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many local authorities had exercised their option to rescind the 50 per cent. council tax discount on empty properties after six months on the most recent date for which figures are available.

Bob Neill: In October 2009, 167 local authorities reported that they had stopped granting the 50% council tax discount on empty dwellings after six months. A further 98 indicated that they granted either the 50% discount or a lower discount for empty properties depending on the circumstance. The remaining 61 local authorities reported they continued to grant the 50% council tax discount on empty dwellings after six months.
	These data are as reported to Communities and Local Government by all 326 billing authorities in England on the annual Council Tax Base (CTB) forms.

Housing: Empty Property

Eric Ollerenshaw: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps he is taking to assist property owners to bring empty properties back into use. [R]

Andrew Stunell: We are looking closely at the cause and nature of empty homes and the full range of potential measures to bring empty homes back into use, as part of a well functioning housing market

Local Government Finance

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the total interest paid by local authorities in 2009-10.

Bob Neill: In 2009-10 interest charges for all local authorities in England were provisionally estimated at £2.73 billion.
	The data on provisional revenue outturn for the financial year 2009-10 are published at an all England level as part of a Statistical Release. The provisional release for August 2010 was published on the CLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/corporate/statistics/revenue200910provoutturn

Local Government Ombudsman

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will review the management and functions of the Local Government Ombudsman.

Bob Neill: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State told the House on 7 September, we intend that to increase citizens rights of redress the Local Government Ombudsman's powers are increased and made legally binding.
	The management of the Local Government Ombudsman service is a matter for the independent Commission for Local Administration in England.

Local Government: Pay

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  pursuant to paragraph 2.18 of Budget 2010, HC 61, what progress has been made on ensuring that local government public sector workers earning less than £21,000 per year will receive a pay increase of at least £250 in 2011-12 and 2012-13;
	(2)  if he will discuss with Local Government Employers the merits of a guaranteed annual pay rise of at least £250 for local government staff with salaries of £21,000 or less in 2011-12 and 2012-13;
	(3)  if he will discuss with Local Government Employers the merits of agreement to binding arbitration with local government unions in respect of the 2010-11 local government pay claim.

Bob Neill: The pay of local Government employees is determined by the relevant National Joint Council (NJC) or Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) governing that workforce. In each instance, the governing NJC or JNC is made up of the employers' side and the trade union side. Central Government have no role in respect of any of the NJC's or JNC's that operate in local government.

Non-domestic Rates: Empty Property

David Nuttall: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what plans he has for the future system of empty property rates.

Bob Neill: For 2010-11, all empty properties with rateable values up to £18,000 are exempt from business rates. 70% of properties have a rateable value below that threshold so, if empty, will pay no rates this year. The temporary threshold is intended to provide owners with help to manage short-term pressures in a difficult property market. We recognize the impact of the last Government; increases in rates by curtailing empty property relief in a recession. The new Government face a great challenge handling the massive budget deficit we have inherited. We have however already taken steps to provide additional support on business rates by increasing SBRR over the next year.

Planning

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether his proposed new planning legislation will include provisions for restrictions on the level of parish precepts.

Bob Neill: The consultation paper "Local Referendums To Veto Excessive Council Tax Increases", which was published on 30 July, includes proposals to allow local residents to veto excessive precept increases set by town and parish councils, subject to applying a 'de minimis' threshold which would exclude smaller councils. Final decisions in relation to council tax referendums, including whether and how to include parish councils, will be taken following consideration of the consultation responses. The deadline for those responses is 10 September 2010.

Planning Permission

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications were notified to his Department under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Consultation) (England) Direction 2009 between 20 April 2009 and 19 April 2010.

Bob Neill: Between 20 April 2009 and 19 April 2010, 166 planning applications were referred under the above direction.

Planning Permission

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning applications which departed from the development plan were notified to his Department under the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Development Plans and Consultation) (Departures) Directions 1999 between 30 August 1999 and 19 April 2009.

Bob Neill: Between 30 August 1999 and 19 April 2009, 8,663 planning applications were referred under the above departure direction.

Planning Permission

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many times he has used his powers to revoke Article 4 directions issued by local planning authorities under the General Permitted Development Order in each year since 1995.

Bob Neill: Information on how many times since 1995 the Secretary of State has used his powers to cancel article 4 directions could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, my Department is not aware of any instances where the Secretary of State has used his powers to cancel an article 4 direction.

Planning Permission: Essex

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will use his powers under section 5 of the Town and Country Planning (General Permitted Development) Order 1995 to revoke the Article 4 direction issued by Maldon District Council on the Maypole Road Plots, north west of Furzelands Farms, Great Totham, Essex; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The Secretary of State will consider formal requests to cancel article 4 directions. The Government's policy is that the cancellation of an article 4 direction by the Secretary of State would only be justified if there are very clear reasons why intervention at this level would be necessary. The Government believe that planning decisions on local matters are best taken at the local level.

Planning: Internet

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much the Planning Portal has spent on its Second Life website presence; and when the Second Life site was started.

Bob Neill: The Planning Portal commissioned a version of its successful Interactive House (which provides public information on permitted development rights) on Second Life in 2008, believing this would engage a younger audience in planning matters. Although customer feedback was positive take-up was insufficient to warrant its continuation and the project was cancelled in earlier this year. The total cost to the Planning Portal was £14,000.

Repossession Orders: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes were repossessed in  (a) the West Midlands and  (b) Coventry in each year since 2000.

Grant Shapps: There are two independent sources of data on actual numbers of mortgage possessions: The Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML) and the Financial Services Authority (FSA). However both are only available for the United Kingdom as a whole.
	The Council of Mortgage Lenders latest press release on repossessions is on their website at:
	http://www.cml.org.uk/cml/media/press/2680.
	The Financial Services Authority data are available on their website at:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Other_publications/statistics/index.shtml.

Schools: Ventilation

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government with reference to Building Bulletin 101 on ventilation of school buildings, if he will review Part F of the Building Regulations for educational buildings for the purposes of ensuring that it makes clear that a controllable system must have a level of automation or notification so that the desired air flow rate is achieved.

Andrew Stunell: Part F of the building regulations provides guidance on ventilation provision for dwellings and offices but not for different types of buildings. The part F Approved Document (statutory guidance) states that the requirements for other building types will be satisfied by following the appropriate design guidance. Building bulletin 101 deals with the design of school buildings to meet the ventilation requirements of both the school premises regulations and part F of the building regulations. This would be the place to consider any changes to the requirements.

South West Regional Assembly

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of the participation of local authority members in meetings of the South West Regional Assembly since 2004;
	(2)  what the cost to the public purse of the South West Regional Spatial Strategy has been.

Bob Neill: The South West Regional Assembly and the subsequent South West Leaders' Board received a total of £16,411,019 in annual departmental grants from 2004 until 2010 when this grant stream ended. No detailed estimate or breakdown exists of either the costs of the expenses incurred by elected members participating in regional assembly meetings or the revision of the South West Regional Spatial Strategy. We have ended central funding to the South West Leaders Board as part of our plans to abolish regional government.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse attributable to activities in connection with fresh Traveller encampments on public land in the last 12 months.

Andrew Stunell: The former Commission for Racial Equality in its report "Common Ground" (published in 2006) estimated that local authorities spend £18 million per year on enforcement against unauthorised Traveller sites.
	This information is not available as the data are not required from local authorities.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what  (a) regional and  (b) national targets there are for local authorities in respect of the provision of Traveller sites.

Andrew Stunell: The revocation of regional strategies has removed the system of top-down regional numbers and plans. Local authorities are now responsible for determining the right level of site provision in their area, reflecting local need and historic demand, in consultation with local communities.

Travellers: Caravan Sites

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions he has had with local authorities on emerging Government policy on the duty of local authorities to make provision for Traveller and Gypsy sites.

Andrew Stunell: The Government intend to revoke Planning Circular 01/06, subject to necessary impact assessments. It will be replaced with a short policy statement and light-touch guidance and we will be formally consulting with local government.

Wind Power: Yelvertoft

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will call in for examination the recent decision of the Planning Inspectorate on the proposed development of a windfarm at Yelvertoft; if he will take into account in that examination  (a) the views expressed by residents of Yelvertoft and the surrounding area and  (b) the decision on the application made by Daventry Borough Council; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: The appeal against the decision of Daventry district council to refuse to grant planning permission for a wind farm on land near Glebe Farm, Yelvertoft, was allowed on 20 July 2010 by an Inspector appointed by the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. An appeal decision once issued, with the exception of very minor slips, cannot be amended or changed. Decisions are therefore final unless successfully challenged, on legal points only, in the High Court. In a planning appeal, as with all planning applications, decisions are made in accordance with the statutory development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In reaching a decision an Inspector will take into account as material considerations other relevant planning issues, including those raised by local residents and the local planning authority concerned.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Africa: Tobacco

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if his Department will take steps to assist African countries in implementing the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) recognises the important contribution of the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) towards reducing future deaths and disease from non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
	The UK, as a world leader on tobacco control, is one of 168 parties to the FCTC and makes an annual financial contribution through the Department of Health. It is a very active participant in the development of sets of guidelines (through DH) and a protocol (through HM Revenue and Customs) to implement the framework.
	DFID does not currently support any country to specifically implement the FCTC. However we do provide considerable bilateral health support to a number of African countries. This facilitates and supports countries to determine their own priorities and health plans. This budget support could extend to tobacco control activities as and when such support is requested from our partner countries.

Africa: Tobacco

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if he will take steps to reduce the level of tobacco-related disease in developing countries; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen O'Brien: Tobacco is a growing risk factor for a number of non-communicable diseases. Unchecked, tobacco-related deaths will increase to more than eight million per year by 2030. More than 80% of those deaths will be in low and middle-income countries.
	The Department for International Development (DFID) provides technical and financial support to partner countries to help them tackle their pressing health priorities and strengthen health systems. DFID's support benefits the capacity of the services to diagnose and treat all diseases, including those which are related to tobacco.
	The UK Government are also co-sponsoring a CARICOM resolution on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) for the UN General Assembly, Importantly this calls for a high-level UN event in 2011 to raise the profile of NCDs on the global arena. This will naturally highlight the need to do more globally to reduce tobacco-related morbidity and mortality.

Africa: Tobacco

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development in what programmes his Department plans to participate to reduce the incidence of green tobacco sickness and poisoning from pesticides and fertilisers among child labourers in the African tobacco sector.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) does not support tobacco production.
	DFID provides technical and financial support to partner countries to help them tackle their pressing health priorities and strengthen health systems. DFlD's support benefits the capacity of the services to diagnose and treat all diseases, including those which are related to tobacco.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department and  (b) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development's performance with regards to payments to all UK suppliers in August 2010 is as follows:
	
		
			   Number 
			 Total payments 1,874 
			 Payments paid within 30 days 1,873 
			 Payments paid over 30 days 1 
			 Payments paid over 60 days 0 
			 Payments made over 90 days 0 
		
	
	The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, our non-departmental public body, does not make payments.

Departmental Offices

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what percentage of his Department's office accommodation he has offered to the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport as office accommodation for staff of that Department; and when he expects such office accommodation to become available.

Stephen O'Brien: Discussions with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regarding office accommodation are at an early stage. Following the redeployment of a number of posts to our office in East Kilbride, my Department is currently investigating a further reorganisation of our office at 1 Palace Street. No precise amount of space has been agreed, but reorganisation could free up part of the office from summer 2011.

Departmental Sick Leave

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development on how many days on average employees of his Department were absent from work as a result of ill-health in 2009-10.

Stephen O'Brien: During 2009-10, the average working days lost to sickness absence per employee in the Department for International Development was 4.9.

Developing Countries: Family Planning

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what files his Department holds on  (a) the United Nations Population Fund,  (b) the International Planned Parenthood Federation and  (c) Marie Stopes International.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) uses an Electronic Data Records Management (EDRM) system. Since the EDRM system was introduced in 2005, records relating to the United Nations Population Fund, the International Planned Parenthood Federation and Marie Stopes International have been stored within the EDRM system. To provide information on all the files held on the EDRM system would incur a disproportionate cost.

Multi-donor Climate Investment Funds

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the World Bank-administered multi-donor climate investment funds.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for international Development (DFID) carries out annual reviews of the Climate Investment Funds (CIFs), in line with its standard procedures for monitoring and evaluation. The first annual review was completed in May 2010, using evidence from the design phase of the CIFs and the early plans for CIFs investments. The Department judged that the CIFs will largely achieve their objectives.
	The CIFs are also currently being assessed under DFID's Multilateral Aid Review (MAR), which aims to ensure maximum effectiveness and value for money from DFID's contributions to multilateral agencies.
	An independent evaluation of the CIFs and the impacts of their activities will begin in 2011. This will be carried out jointly by the independent evaluation departments of the multilateral development banks.

Overseas Territories Environment Programme

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what plans he has for the future funding of the Overseas Territories Environment Programme.

Stephen O'Brien: Department for International Development (DFID) Ministers are reviewing the DFID aid programme to the UK overseas territories to determine how we can achieve better value for money for the taxpayer, and fulfil our obligations to the citizens of the territories. Future funding for the joint Foreign and Commonwealth and DFID Overseas Territories Environment Programme will be determined as part of this review.

UN Development Fund for Women

David Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much funding his Department plans to provide to the United Nations Development Fund for Women in the period to 2015.

Andrew Mitchell: The Department for International Development (DFID) has provided the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) with core support of £3 million in each year since 2004. 2010 is the last year we will provide this support.
	In January 2011 UN Women, the new United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, will begin operations. This new body will consolidate the work of UNIFEM and the other UN bodies working specifically on gender equality. Decisions on UK funding for UN Women will be informed by the ongoing Multilateral Aid Review, which will, conclude in 2011
	A pre-existing funding commitment of £3.25 million over four years to 2012 for UNIFEM's Women's Peacebuilding and Prevention of Sexual Violence programme and support for UNIFEM projects and programmes at country level will be transferred to UN Women.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Emissions: Finance

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what discussions he has had on legislative proposals for local carbon budget legislation to limit emissions in each local authority area.

Gregory Barker: Local authorities need to show strong leadership and accountability in cutting emissions from their own estates and operations and those arising within their areas, and have an important role in contributing to the UK's statutory carbon reduction targets.
	We are currently exploring all options for local carbon reduction and have an ongoing dialogue at all levels with the local authorities, the Local Government Group, Friends of the Earth and other interested parties to determine how to optimise the local authority contribution. We expect and will encourage local authorities to develop-stretching ambitions on carbon emissions.

Civil Nuclear Police Authority: Operating Costs

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how much the running costs of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority were in the latest period for which figures are available, broken down by budgetary heading.

Charles Hendry: Details of the operating costs of the Civil Nuclear Police Authority (CNPA) are contained within the CNPA Annual Report and Accounts. Copies of the report can be obtained from the Vote Office in the House of Commons, and is also available from the CNPA website:
	www.cnpa.police.uk
	The following table provides audited operating cost information for the 2009-10 financial year and unaudited information for the five months from 1 April to 31 August 2010.
	
		
			  Civil Nuclear Police Authority 
			  £000 
			   12 months to  31 March 2010  5 months to  31 August 2010 
			  Description  Audited  Unaudited 
			 Staff costs 44,945 19,946 
			
			  External Charges   
			 Subsistence 698 337 
			 Car hire 305 114 
			 Mileage allowance 230 107 
			 Other travel and subsistence costs 197 109 
			 Rentals under operating leases 332 8 
			 Rental of the Constabulary's training facilities 360 - 
			 Other rent charges 63 334 
			 Telecommunications 612 313 
			 IT support charges 1,057 562 
			 Training costs 843 327 
			 Professional services 518 177 
			 Course fees 446 118 
			 Insurance 278 111 
			 Repairs and maintenance 470 197 
			 Relocation 237 86 
			 Recruitment 296 46 
			 Payments under service level agreements 72 34 
			 Site support charges 106 60 
			 Legal fees 77 36 
			 Regulatory charges 46 28 
			 Security vetting 184 57 
			 Range fees 87 54 
			 Other external charges 732 515 
			 Total external charges 8,246 3,731 
			
			  Operating materials   
			 Motor fuel 285 137 
			 Weapons 209 50 
			 IT equipment 172 44 
			 Inventory withdrawals 835 343 
			 Stationery 104 29 
			 Non-capital equipment 92 100 
			 Firearms spares and supplies 226 258 
			 Dog related expenditure. 55 15 
			 Electricity-charges 27 13 
			 Inventory items written off due to obsolescence 79 - 
			 Other operating materials 234 123 
			 Total operating materials 2,318 1,111 
			
			 Other operating charges 97 (9) 
			
			 Non-cash items   
			 Amortisation of intangible assets 71 32 
			 Depreciation 824 281 
			 Capital grants (105) (24) 
			 Provision provided in the year 123 - 
			 Provisions not required written back (40) - 
			 Total non-cash items 873 289

Coal Fired Power Stations: Hunterston

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will make approval of the application for consent for a coal-fired power station at Hunterston conditional on the carbon emissions rate at the station being no higher than those generated in a modern gas plant.

Charles Hendry: Applications to build and operate power stations over 50MW in Scotland are made to the Scottish Ministers. This is a -devolved matter, and the UK Government cannot intervene in individual applications. We will be working, closely with Scottish Ministers to ensure a complementary approach towards new coal capacity across Great Britain, including the role of an Emissions Performance Standard in driving emissions reductions and incentivising new investment in carbon capture and storage.

Energy and Climate Change: International Cooperation

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what agreements were made at the recent Joint International Monetary Fund World Bank Spring Meetings on energy and climate change-related matters.

Stephen O'Brien: I have been asked to reply.
	At the Joint International Monetary Fund-World Bank Spring Meetings, the Development Committee endorsed a general capital increase alongside a new post-crisis strategy, and suite of reforms, to strengthen the efficiency, effectiveness and accountability of the World Bank Group, and shareholding reform to increase the voting power of developing and transition countries. The post-crisis strategy includes climate change and energy issues. Beyond that, no specific agreements on energy and climate-change related matters were made at the spring meetings. The Department for International Development continues to work closely with the World Bank, and other multilateral development banks, on energy and climate-change related issues.

Government Departments: Carbon Emissions

Edward Miliband: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress has been made in achieving a 10% year on-year reduction in carbon dioxide emissions from the Government estate; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: On 14 May my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced that he wanted this to be the greenest government ever, and set a challenging target of reducing government's emissions by 10% in 12 months. Since then, all departments have submitted their plans for action, detailing how they will contribute towards the target. All ministerial headquarter buildings have also published real time energy use data, on line.
	Departments are currently submitting data on emissions from the first quarter of the year, and, with the Efficiency Reform Group, we are establishing the baseline against which progress will be monitored. I expect to be able to make an announcement shortly on progress against the target.

Offshore Industry: Employment

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to increase the number of jobs associated with the offshore energy industry.

Charles Hendry: Successfully exploiting the UK's renewable energy resources will make a key contribution to meeting our renewables targets, and will also provide opportunities for investment in job creation in new industries and technologies.
	This includes offshore wind, where we are already the world's number one market, as well as the emerging wave and tidal energy sector, where a key element is the development of marine energy parks around the UK coast.
	We are also committed to the full development of the UK's oil and gas reserves, which will bring economic and employment benefits.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will consider introducing a pre-accreditation scheme for feed-in tariffs; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: All aspects of the FITs scheme, including accreditation and certification issues, will be subject to periodic reviews.
	As the scheme was launched in April and is at an early stage, we are continually collecting data which, as we learn more, will be fed into the review process.

Wind Power: Planning

Chris Heaton-Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will bring forward an energy planning strategy which provides for a determination of  (a) the number of wind farms required nationally and  (b) the location of such installations in a manner which (i) maximises efficient energy production and (ii) minimises disturbance to the countryside and to village communities.

Charles Hendry: The Coalition Programme for Government makes clear our commitment to giving a greater say to people, communities and local councils to shape their surroundings through a faster and more democratically accountable planning system. We intend to publish and present to Parliament a simple and consolidated national planning framework covering all forms of development.
	My right. hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government will make an announcement .on how we propose to take forward the framework and the implications for specific areas of planning policy.
	We are committed to being the greenest Government ever and to the development of wind energy in the UK, both onshore and offshore. The UK has outstanding wind resources and onshore wind is one of the most established, widespread and cost effective renewable electricity technologies in the UK. Wind energy will therefore be vital to meeting our renewable energy, climate change and low carbon economic growth goals.
	We are keen to ensure that both our commitment to localism and to tackling climate change are mutually supportive. We want communities and individuals to benefit from the increase in renewable energy, including wind power, and to own a stake in our collective low carbon future. This is why we committed to encouraging more community owned renewable energy and allowing communities that host renewable energy projects to keep the additional business rates they generate.
	The assessment of an application to develop a wind farm already includes, amongst other things, an analysis of visual and landscape impacts to ascertain whether the location of the wind farm is acceptable. The Government consider that these impacts are best assessed on a case by case basis so that local factors can be taken fully into account.

HEALTH

Brighton

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out with statistical evidence relating as closely as possible to Brighton Pavilion constituency the effects of his Department's policies on that constituency from  (a) May 1997 to April 2010 and  (b) since May 2010.

Simon Burns: The record of the previous Government are widely available in the public domain.
	At this early point, it is not possible to provide statistical information as to how Brighton Pavilion constituency has been affected by this Government's health policy since May 2010. However, this Government have introduced a series of national policies which Brighton Pavilion will benefit from them as they are implemented, such as:
	£50 million of funding to support access to cancer medicines;
	a new, free, three-digit urgent and out of hours care number-111-to be a single point of access for those with non-emergency care needs; and
	mandatory reporting of when patients are placed in mixed-sex accommodation, and strengthening the penalties for when hospitals do so without clinical justification.
	This Government have also set out their plans for reforms to the way the national health service is managed and delivered. These include:
	cutting bureaucracy by requiring the NHS to cut the cost of management by over 45% and rationalising and streamlining the Department of Health's arm's length bodies, delivering total recurrent savings of over £1 billion to reinvest in front-line services for patients;
	giving general practitioners the ability to commission services which meet the needs of their patients and extending the right of patients to choose treatments and services;
	putting the operational, day-to-day management of the NHS into the hands of an independent NHS commissioning board; and
	measuring clinically-based outcomes, rather than targets, which will deliver results for patients over the long term.

Cancer: Drugs

Rosie Cooper: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his Department's estimate is of the average length of time which will be taken to decide on a patient application for funding for a treatment through the interim Cancer Drugs Fund arrangements.

Paul Burstow: We expect local arrangements for the additional in-year funding to support improved access to cancer drugs, announced on 27 July 2010, to take into account the guidance in the national health service medical director's letter to strategic health authorities which states:
	"Arrangements should support timely decision-making, bearing in mind the 31 day cancer treatment standard".
	A copy of this letter is available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Lettersandcirculars/Dearcolleagueletters/DH_117996
	and a copy has been placed in the Library.

Cancer: Health Services

Valerie Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for  (a) an appointment with a cancer specialist and  (b) hospital treatment from the time of referral by a GP in (i) May 2010 and (ii) 1997.

Paul Burstow: Any patient urgently referred for suspected cancer by their general practitioner (GP) should be seen by a specialist and begin the diagnostic process within two weeks, unless they choose to wait longer.
	Information on average waiting times between GP referral and first outpatient attendance or first treatment for cancer patients are not collected centrally and have not been estimated.
	In the latest period for which statistics are available (Quarter 1 2010-11) 95.5% of people were seen by a specialist within two weeks of an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer and 87.5% of people began treatment within 62 days of an urgent GP referral for suspected cancer. Official and national statistics covering cancer waiting times were not published by the Department before 2001, and due to a change in the manner in which statistics are collected within the national health service, current data are not comparable to periods prior to 1 January 2009.

Community Hospitals

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what organisations will have responsibility for community hospitals following the introduction of GP commissioning.

Simon Burns: The Department published "Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for patients" on 22 July 2010 which set out the intended arrangements for general practitioner (GP) Commissioning and the NHS Commissioning Board. A copy has already been placed in the Library. We are engaging on these proposals and consulting on specific questions highlighted in the document.
	Under our proposals GP consortia will commission the great majority of national health service services for their patients, including, where appropriate, community hospital services. There will, however, be some exceptions, where it makes sense for the NHS Commissioning Board to have responsibility for commissioning services. The proposed exceptions include primary medical care. This may also include community hospital services, where these provide primary care services.
	Organisations providing community services will be responsible for responding to the commissioning intentions of the GP commissioning consortia and the NHS Commissioning Board, and the day-to-day management of community hospitals.

Departmental Allowances

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department spent on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997.

Simon Burns: The Department's staff reimbursable expenses from July 2008 to March 2009, for the 2009-10 financial year, and for the first quarter of 2010-11, were as follows:
	
		
			   Staff reimbursable expenses (£) 
			 July 2008 to March 2009 971,657.85 
			 April 2009 to March 2010 1,179, 246.87 
			 April 2010 to June 2010 212,669.19 
		
	
	The Department's Business Management System (BMS) was introduced in July 2008. BMS readily allows for reimbursable expenses to be extracted from the accounting system and totalled. The previous accounting system (VISTA) does not allow such interrogation without disproportionate cost.
	The 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims(1) since 2004 were as follows:
	 2004-05
	£7,156.96
	£6,765.33
	£5,235.20
	£4,033.70
	£3,853.00
	£3,544.60
	£2,554.72
	£2,546.51
	£1,952.50
	£1,940.28
	 2005-06
	£13,688.30
	£6,337.81
	£5,365.80
	£4,679.60
	£4,416.70
	£4,334.50
	£4,278.65
	£4,245.15
	£4,047.91
	£4,000.00
	 2006-07
	£18,505.00
	£15,383.53
	£6,011.90
	£5,397.88
	£4,517.10
	£4,511.65
	£4,355.00
	£4,250.00
	£3,941.80
	£3,587.37
	 2007-08
	£17,695.53
	£8,500.00
	£8,402.58
	£6,479.61
	£5,486.84
	£5,000.00
	£4,683.65
	£4,411.09
	£3,868.10
	£3,843.77
	 2008-09
	£19,740.00
	£18,589.59
	£11,486.19
	£10,328.67
	£9,165.32
	£8,280.06
	£7,781.80
	£6,934.51
	£6,766.40
	£6,448.09
	 2009-10
	£9,033.56
	£8,926.80
	£8,870.20
	£8,141.56
	£6,623.08
	£6,528.84
	£5,695.90
	£5,425.50
	£5,217.92
	£4,114.55
	The above data have been sourced from the Department's accounting systems (BMS and VISTA) going back to 2004. This is consistent with the Department's Retention Schedule, which is informed by the National Archives "Records Management Retention Scheduling-Employee Personnel Records" (page 6, Travel and Subsistence-claims and authorisation'-retention period of six years).
	(1 )The amounts shown are for a single claim, but cover arbitrary periods, which in some cases stretch over many months.

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Simon Burns: The proportion of invoices paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August was 97.76% and 97.96% respectively.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agency and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Simon Burns: The number of payments made to suppliers by the Department, its agency and non-departmental public bodies within 30 days and over 30 days after the date of the invoice is shown in the following table. It is not a requirement to record payments made after 60 and 90 days and to collect this information retrospectively would be at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			   Payments made to suppliers within 30 days (April-June 2010)  Payments made to suppliers over 30 days (April-June 2010) 
			 Department of Health 49,990 455 
			 Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (Agency) 2,643 8 
			 Appointments Commission 370 26 
			 Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence 154 0 
			 General Social Care Council 1,942 109 
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 324 12 
			 Health Protection Agency 19,715 300 
			 Health and Social Care Information Centre 1,436 52 
			 Human Tissue Authority 454 1 
			 NHS Business Service Authority 5,107 527 
			 NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement 2,456 943 
			 NHS Blood and Transplant 26,832 4,014 
			 NHS Litigation Authority 156 35 
			 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence 1,836 19 
			 National Patient Safety Agency 2,068 293 
			 National Treatment Agency for Substance Misuse 462 52 
			 Care Quality Commission 2,556 335

Departmental Fines

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many transport-related fines his Department has settled on behalf of its staff in each year since 2005; and what the cost to the public purse was in each year.

Simon Burns: The Department has not settled any transport related fines for staff since 2005. The Department's policy is not to reimburse staff for any penalty imposed under the Road Traffic Acts or any associated expense arising from a traffic accident or offence. This includes parking fines.

Departmental NDPBs

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS-related non-departmental public bodies  (a) have been abolished since May 2010 and  (b) will be abolished in the next five years; and what effect the abolition of each is estimated to have on his Department's public expenditure in each of the next four years.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence Liberating the NHS", published on 12 July 2010 and available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/LiberatingtheNHS/index.htm
	and the Department's review of its arm's-length bodies "Liberating the NHS: Report of the arm's-length bodies review", published on 26 July 2010 and available at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_117691
	set out proposals for fundamental changes to the ways that the national health service is structured, including the structure of the Department's non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs).
	No NHS related NDPB has been abolished since May 2010. The report on the review of arm's length bodies sets out the Government's intentions for each of the Department's 18 arm's length bodies which will be implemented by 2013.
	The costs of the transition to the new structure, and of running the reformed organisations, will not be known until the precise details and process of the structural changes have been determined. An impact assessment of the proposals made in the arm's-length bodies review report will be published alongside the Health Bill, in due course.

Diabetes

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the NHS has spent on treating type 1 diabetes and its complications in each of the last 10 years; and what sources and assumptions were used to derive these figures.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not collect data on the cost of treating type 1 diabetes and its complications.
	Diabetes is a complex condition that affects all parts of the body making it difficult to calculate an exact cost.

Diabetes

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in England with type 1 diabetes; and what sources and assumptions were used to derive these figures.

Paul Burstow: The Department does not have an estimate of the total number of people with Type 1 diabetes. According to the Quality and Outcomes Framework data there are currently 2.3 million people diagnosed with diabetes in England. We cannot however separate this into Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes. It is estimated that approximately 10% of people with diabetes have Type 1 diabetes.
	In March 2009, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health published Growing up with Diabetes: children and young people with diabetes in England. The report concluded that 22,947 children and young people have diabetes, with the majority of these having Type 1 diabetes.

Epilepsy: Health Services

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve services for people with epilepsy.

Paul Burstow: The National Service Framework for Long-term Conditions is the key tool for delivering the Government's strategy to support and improve services for those living with long-term neurological conditions, including epilepsy.
	It is the responsibility of local health commissioners to ensure that they commission local services to meet the needs of their population. This includes ensuring that all relevant guidelines, including those issued by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, are able to be implemented where deemed appropriate.
	In the future, outcomes, which the national health service will be expected to achieve, will be set via the NHS Outcomes Framework. We will not tell the NHS how to achieve these outcomes but will hold the NHS Commissioning Board to account for delivery through the framework. This framework, which is currently out for consultation, contains domains specifically relevant to epilepsy:
	Patient reported outcome measures for specific long-term conditions. A pilot covering epilepsy has already been developed;
	A proposed indicator on the percentage of patients aged 18 years and over on drug treatment for epilepsy who have been seizure free for the last 12 months; and
	Proposed indicators for emergency hospital admissions for both acute and chronic ambulatory care sensitive conditions (epilepsy is included within the definition of both).

Eyesight: Testing

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take further steps to encourage people to have frequent eye tests.

Simon Burns: Free sight tests are available under the national health service to many people, including people aged 60 and over, children under 16, those aged 16 to 18 in full-time education, people on benefits, those people at particular risk of developing eye disease, and people who are registered blind or partially sighted or who have a complex spectacle prescription. Sight tests allow the opportunity to review all aspects of eye health, including investigations for signs of disease.
	The Department has worked, and continues to work with NHS Choices on the development of articles and videos to raise the profile of visual health and promote the importance of regular sight tests.
	We also recently worked with the organisers of National Eye Health Week to develop a new patient information leaflet, which raises awareness of eye health. The leaflet was launched to coincide with National Eye Health week, which ran from 14-20 June.
	The uptake of NHS sight tests is increasing. In 2009-10, there were 11.8 million NHS sight tests, an increase of 4.7% on 2008-09.
	Information about the extensive arrangements for providing help with NHS optical services and other health costs is published in leaflet HC11 'Are you entitled to help with health costs?'

General Practitioners

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the accounts of GP consortia will be audited; and what mechanism will be used to assess whether they are achieving value for money when purchasing skills and services from the private sector.

Simon Burns: The Department published 'Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for patients' on 22 July 2010 which set out the intended arrangements for general practitioner (GP) commissioning and the NHS Commissioning Board. We are engaging on these proposals and consulting on specific questions highlighted in the document.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for allocating and accounting for national health service resources. This will include calculating practice-level budgets and allocating these resources directly to consortiums. Consortiums will be responsible for managing these budgets, and deciding how best to use the resources to meet the health care needs of their patients.
	The commissioning budgets will include a maximum allowance to cover management costs. Consortiums will be free to decide how best to use this allowance to carry out commissioning activities. Commissioning for patients asks for views on what support GP consortiums will need to access and evaluate external providers of commissioning support.
	A Government response to the consultation will be published alongside the Health Bill, which will be introduced into Parliament later this year. This legislation will set out a consortium's duties in relation to financial management, including requirements in relation to reporting, audit and accounts.

General Practitioners

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms GP consortia will use to manage demand within the budget allocated to them; what assessment has been made of the risk of GP consortia incurring deficits; and what failure regime will be established.

Simon Burns: The Department of Health published 'Liberating the NHS: Commissioning for patients' on 22 July 2010 which set out the intended arrangements for general practitioner (GP) commissioning and the NHS Commissioning Board. We are engaging on these proposals and consulting on specific questions highlighted in the document.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for allocating and accounting for national health service resources. This will include calculating practice-level budgets and allocating these resources directly to consortiums. Consortiums will be responsible for managing these budgets, and deciding how best to use the resources to meet the health care needs of their patients.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for holding consortiums to account for stewardship of NHS resources and developing an assurance process which will hold GP consortiums to account for the outcomes they achieve. In turn, each consortium will hold its constituent practices to account against these objectives.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will have a significant role in managing financial risk, for example through oversight of risk pooling within and between consortiums. Consortiums should have a level of flexibility in deciding how best to manage financial risk within the overall regime set by the NHS Commissioning Board to encourage good financial management. The principles for managing underspends and overspends, including whether any planned and managed underspends may be carried over to future years to invest in services and whether any actual overspends will be deducted from the following year's allocation, will be agreed between the NHS Commissioning Board, the Department of Health and HM Treasury.
	The NHS Commissioning Board will intervene in the event that a consortium is unable to fulfil its duties effectively or where there is a significant risk of failure. Ultimately, the NHS Commissioning Board will be responsible for ensuring and maintaining an effective and fully comprehensive system of GP consortiums.

General Practitioners

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms will be used to prevent conflicts of interest where private providers join GP consortia in respect of commissioning decisions using NHS funds.

Simon Burns: We propose to set out in legislation the duties of the NHS Board and commissioners to promote choice, to act transparently and non-discriminatorily in all commissioning activities, and to prohibit agreements or other actions to restrict competition against patients and taxpayers' interests.
	Monitor will have powers to investigate and remedy complaints regarding commissioners' procurement decisions, or other conduct which may be anticompetitive, acting as arbiter.

General Practitioners

Andy Burnham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the average likely  (a) annual administrative cost and  (b) headcount of each GP commissioning group to be established under his proposals.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" published, on 12 July 2010, sets out our intention to devolve power and responsibility for commissioning services to local consortia of general practitioner (GP) practices. To support GP consortia in their commissioning decisions, we will also create an independent NHS Commissioning Board.
	It is envisaged that within commissioning budgets, GP consortia will receive a maximum management allowance to reflect the management costs associated with commissioning. Consortia will be free to decide how to use this management allowance to carry out commissioning activities, however, it has not yet been decided what the level of allowance will be.
	"Commissioning for Patients", published on 22 July, set out these proposals in more detail, providing the basis for fuller consultation and engagement with primary care professionals, patients and the public. A copy has already been placed in the Library.
	It is therefore too early to say at this stage what this means for the annual administrative cost and head count of each GP commissioning group.

General Practitioners

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what protection he plans to put in place for the terms and conditions of employment of staff transferred from primary care trusts to GP commissioning bodies under his proposals for the reorganisation of NHS commissioning; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: Staff transferring from primary care trusts directly to general practitioner commissioning bodies will transfer under the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE), with their terms and conditions protected and will be able to retain membership of the NHS pension scheme.

General Practitioners

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether GPs will have the power to decide the membership of GP consortia.

Simon Burns: We intend that every general practitioner (GP) practice will be a member of a consortium. Practices will have flexibility to form consortia in ways that they think will secure the best healthcare and health outcomes for their patients and locality. The NHS Commissioning Board will have a duty to ensure comprehensive coverage of GP consortia, and will assign practices to consortia where this is necessary.
	It is also intended that consortia, once established, will be statutory public bodies, with powers and responsibilities set out through primary and secondary legislation. By that time, each consortium would need to have chosen its own accountable officer and chief financial officer.
	We believe that consortia should be held to account for the outcomes they achieve and for the fulfilment of appropriate duties, rather than for the way in which they constitute themselves. We do not intend to set out detailed or prescriptive requirements in relation to the internal governance of a consortium, beyond essential requirements for example in relation to financial probity and accountability and audit.

General Practitioners

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what powers the NHS Commissioning Board will have regarding membership of GP consortia.

Simon Burns: We would wish general practitioner (GP) practices to make their own decisions, as far as possible, on membership of consortia. The NHS Commissioning Board will have a duty to ensure comprehensive coverage of GP consortia across the country. To meet this duty, our proposals indicate that, in the last resort, the NHS Commissioning Board would need to be able to assign a practice to a consortium, but we hope that this power would rarely need to be used.

General Practitioners: ICT

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that IT systems provided to support GP commissioning are  (a) cost effective and  (b) reliable.

Simon Burns: Procurement of information systems to support general practitioner (GP) commissioning would be a matter for individual GP consortia, and it would be the responsibility of systems suppliers to meet the requirements of their GP consortia customers. GP commissioners will have to use agreed technical and data standards set by the NHS Commissioning Board to promote compatibility between different systems. The NHS Commissioning Board will provide a framework to support GP consortia in commissioning services to ensure there is consistency in the information that commissioners and providers are using, and compatibility between information systems.

Guy's and St Thomas NHS Foundation Trust: Clinical Trials

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many clinical trials are taking place at Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital; how many of them are part-funded by pharmaceutical companies; and how many of them are taking place in the Rheumatology Department.

Simon Burns: This information is not held centrally by the Department. The Department suggests that the hon. Member may wish to contact Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust directly.

Health Centres: Greater Manchester

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make an estimate of the proportion of clients at the new health centre in Fallowfield, Manchester who are resident in the M19 postal district.

Simon Burns: The information requested is not collected centrally. However, it can be obtained directly from Manchester Primary Care Trust.

Health Services

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps will be taken to ensure that any lack of financial viability of private suppliers of patient services will not adversely effect such services under the proposals in the Health White Paper.

Simon Burns: As in the current system, commissioners will retain primary responsibility for ensuring the continuity of service provision. Under the proposals in the White Paper, Monitor would have powers through its licensing regime to protect access to essential services where a community was highly dependent upon a particular provider. We are currently consulting on these proposals and further details are set out in the consultation document "Liberating the NHS: Regulating healthcare providers", a copy of which has already been placed in the Library.

Health Services: Disability

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from disability organisations on future levels of spending by his Department for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: Ministers have not received any representations from disability organisations on future levels of spending by this Department.

Health Services: Isle of Man

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made in his discussion with his Isle of Man counterpart in respect of a new reciprocal health agreement with the UK; whether he expects any such agreement to be in place before the end of September 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: I refer to my written statement of 9 September 2010,  Official Report, column 22WS.

Health Services: Learning Disability

Tom Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department plans to take to ensure that the views of people with a learning disability are taken into account through HealthWatch.

Simon Burns: "Liberating the NHS: Local democratic legitimacy in health", a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, sets out the consultation proposals for establishing HealthWatch. It proposes that local involvement networks (LINks) evolve to become local HealthWatch organisations. It further proposes that HealthWatch England will be established to provide national leadership and strengthen the public and patient voice.
	HealthWatch will strengthen the collective voice of patients and the public, including those with learning difficulties. The Department is also exploring how Learning Disability Partnership Boards could link with HealthWatch.

HealthWatch Groups: Finance

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding will be provided to local authorities to fund HealthWatch groups in their areas when they are established.

Simon Burns: "Liberating the NHS: Local democratic legitimacy in health", a copy of which has already been placed in the Library, sets out the consultation proposals for establishing HealthWatch. It proposes that local involvement networks (LINks) evolve to become local HealthWatch organisations. It further proposes that HealthWatch England will be established to provide national leadership and strengthen the public and patient voice.
	All funding decisions are subject to the spending review, which will conclude on 20 October.

Hospitals: Parking

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that patients are adequately informed about hospital car parking charges;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure hospitals observe its guidance on car park charges.

Simon Burns: National health service organisations have the autonomy to make decisions that best suit their local circumstances. It would therefore be inconsistent with this autonomy to issue mandatory guidance to this NHS on this matter. However, should charges discourage patients from accessing their services or friends and families from visiting patients, or prevent staff doing their jobs properly those NHS organisations have a responsibility to look at that further. This includes ensuring that patients and visitors should be informed of car parking arrangements, charges and concessions.

Midwives: Manpower

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many births per full-time equivalent NHS midwife there were in each region in  (a) 2008 and  (b) 2009.

Anne Milton: The following table shows the number of births per midwife (full-time equivalent) in 2008 and 2009 by strategic health authority.
	
		
			   2008  2009 
			 England 34.3 33.2 
			 North East 28.4 28.0 
			 North West 29.1 28.7 
			 Yorkshire & the Humber 34.1 32.2 
			 East Midlands 40.1 38.1 
			 West Midlands 32.9 31.8 
			 East of England 39.8 39.0 
			 London 34 34.2 
			 South East Coast 36.5 34.0 
			 South Central 40.3 39.0 
			 South West 32.6 30 
			  Source:  Office for National Statistics

Monitor: Finance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources will be provided to Monitor to enable it to carry out the functions of economic regulator of providers of NHS care; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: We will be able to confirm any allocation of resources for Monitor to carry out its new functions in due course. We have published proposals for consultation(1). However, it will be for Parliament to determine Monitor's new functions, as economic regulator, through the legislative process.
	(1) "Liberating the NHS: regulating healthcare providers" (Department of Health; July 2010)

Multiple Sclerosis

George Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the number of people in England with multiple sclerosis; how much the NHS has spent on treating this condition in each of the last 10 years; and what sources and assumptions were used to derive these figures.

Paul Burstow: In 2005 the Department estimated that 52,000-62,000 people in England and Wales were living with multiple sclerosis. This estimate was taken from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) multiple sclerosis guideline published in 2003.
	In March 2009, the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health published Growing up with Diabetes: children and young people with diabetes in England. The report concluded that 22,947 children and young people with diabetes have diabetes, with the majority of these having Type 1 diabetes.

NHS: Internet

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with  (a) Ministers and officials in his Department and  (b) representatives of the private and voluntary sectors on the NHS Choices website.

Simon Burns: There have been no specific recent discussions regarding the NHS Choices website with either Ministers or officials in the Department or with representatives of the private and voluntary sector.
	Online and digital health information and service provision, including NHS Choices, has been discussed in the context of the White Paper: "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" and related policy consultations.

NHS: Internet

Mary Creagh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the  (a) private and  (b) voluntary sector on the future of the NHS Choices website.

Simon Burns: There have been no specific recent discussions regarding the future of NHS Choices website with the private or voluntary sector.
	Online and digital health information and service provision, including NHS Choices, has been discussed in the context of the White Paper: "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" and related policy consultations.

NHS: Manpower

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) individuals and  (b) full-time equivalents were employed in the NHS in each year since 2006.

Simon Burns: The annual national health service work force census shows the number of staff working in the NHS as at 30 September each year. The following table shows the number of headcount and full-time equivalent staff employed in the NHS for 2006-09.
	
		
			  NHS staff 2006-09, England, as at 30 September each year 
			   2006  2007  2008  2009 
			 Headcount total 1,338,779 1,331,109 1,368,693 1,431,996 
			 Full-time equivalent total 1,095,427 1,089,436 1,125,131 1,177,056 
			  Source: The NHS Information Centre.

NHS: Private Finance Initiative

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to review the use of private finance initiative projects in the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: There are currently no plans to review the use of the private finance initiative (PFI) as a procurement vehicle in the national health service. The Department will continue to encourage the NHS to consider a PFI option alongside a publicly funded option in business cases for new build hospital schemes and proceed with the option that offers best value for money.

Palliative Care: Finance

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  which  (a) individuals and  (b) organisations he plans to consult as part of his Department's review of palliative care funding;
	(2)  whether his Department's review of palliative care funding will consider access to round-the-clock community nursing for terminally ill patients.

Paul Burstow: The coalition's programme for Government includes a commitment to introduce
	"a new per-patient funding system for all hospices and providers of palliative care".
	The independent Palliative Care Funding review will look at how this can be taken forward. It will cover both adults' and children's services and will report back by summer 2011.
	The review will look at how Government can make sure that the money intended to help look after people who are approaching the end of life, and children who need palliative care, is spent in the right way. This will better enable people-children, adults and families-to choose how and from whom they receive the care they need.
	The review is of funding for dedicated palliative care services and will make recommendations for a funding system that will cover care provided by the NHS, a hospice or any appropriate provider:
	which encourages more community-based care, so people can remain in their own homes; and
	will be fair and transparent to all organisations involved in palliative care.
	The Palliative Care Funding Review is independent of Government. Tom Hughes-Hallett, chief executive of Marie Curie Cancer Care, is chairing the review in a personal capacity.
	The review is considering the funding mechanisms for dedicated palliative care for adults and children. The first phase of the review will determine which services should fall within that definition. Mr Hughes-Hallett has invited all interested organisations and parties to contribute to the review through a dedicated website,
	http://palliativecarefunding.org.uk

Palliative Care: Finance

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to review his Department's end of life care strategy.

Paul Burstow: The Department's End of Life Care Strategy was published in July 2008. There are no plans to review the strategy. We are committed to implementing the strategy, which sets out an important programme of action.
	The second annual report on the strategy was published on 25 August.

Patient Choice Schemes

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future of the choose and book system following the introduction of GP commissioning.

Simon Burns: The White Paper "Equity and Excellence: Liberating the NHS" states that
	"we will look at ways of ensuring that Choose and Book usage is maximised"
	as part of introducing choice of named consultant led team. We are currently consulting on general practitioner commissioning and will be publishing a consultation document shortly on patient choice. We cannot pre-empt the outcome of these consultations.

Prescriptions: Fees and Charges

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to provide free prescriptions for people 
	(1)  with lifelong illnesses;
	(2)  aged below 60 years who have Parkinson's disease.

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to phase out prescription charges for all patients with long-term conditions.

Simon Burns: I refer the hon. Members to the written answer I gave the right hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside and Hillsborough (Mr Blunkett) on 26 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 847-48W.

Rare Diseases

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there are plans to appoint a national clinical director for rare diseases.

Simon Burns: We are not yet in a position to say how the recommendation of the former Chief Medical Officer to appoint a new National Clinical Director for Rare Diseases might fit with new arrangements for specialised commissioning following the White Paper "Equity and Excellence-Liberating the NHS".
	The issue of such an appointment will be considered in the context of the responses we receive to the consultations currently in train on implementing the White Paper strategy.

Thames Valley Primary Care Agency

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has for the future of the Thames Valley Primary Care Agency following the introduction of GP commissioning.

Simon Burns: The proposed NHS Commissioning Board, once established in shadow form, would work with primary care trusts (PCTs) to ensure a smooth transition for any functions associated with commissioning of primary care that needed to move from PCTs to the board.

Thrombolysis: Health Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to expedite provision of thrombolysis treatment for stroke victims in  (a) the West Midlands and  (b) England.

Simon Burns: The National Sentinel Stroke audit 2010 shows that patients in 88% of the hospitals which directly admit stroke patients are now able to access this treatment but only 50% of centres provide access 24 hours a day, seven days a week. As the national health service continues to implement the national stroke strategy and develops pathways that improve out of hours access to brain imaging for all eligible patients and, where appropriate, telemedicine, we expect to see a continued increase in rates of delivery of this therapy.
	Access to timely brain scans has been identified as a key area for improvement in the Accelerating Stroke Improvement work which we are supporting. This work aims to deliver further progress in improving the whole pathway of stroke care across the country, including the West Midlands, in the current financial year.

Thrombolysis: Health Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to improve access to post-acute services for thrombolysis patients;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to improve access to long-term rehabilitation services for thrombolysis patients.

Simon Burns: Stroke remains a priority for the Government and has a Tier 1 Vital Sign in the revision to the Operating Framework for the NHS in England 2010-11. We agree with the National Audit Office and the Committee of Public Account's (PAC) conclusions that there is still room for improvement in stroke care, especially in post acute care and rehabilitation for stroke survivors where progress has been slower than with acute services. The Government's response to the PAC report sets out the work that is being done to achieve further progress.
	The recently published National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence Quality Standard for Stroke, which provides the definitive definition of high quality care, recognises the importance of specialist rehabilitation for stroke survivors.
	The accelerating stroke improvement programme which we are supporting aims to deliver further progress in improving stroke care across the whole pathway during this financial year. It identifies key areas for improvement in the post acute part of the pathway. These include the development of joint care plans, systematic reviews of stroke survivors post discharge to ensure that their needs are identified, carers assessments and provision of psychological support.

Vitamin D

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of availability of treatments for vitamin D deficiency;
	(2)  what steps he plans to take to increase the supply of high dose vitamin D injections.

Simon Burns: There are various forms of vitamin D. Ergocalciferol and colecalciferol are used in the prevention of simple vitamin D deficiency.
	Ergocalciferol tablets have been discontinued due to lack of availability of active ingredient of a suitable quality. There are no United Kingdom Marketing Authorisations for oral colecalciferol. Licensing of medicines is a matter for individual companies, however departmental officials have had discussions with several companies about the possibility of them supplying oral vitamin D.
	There is one supplier of ergocalciferol injection to the UK market. There have been manufacturing difficulties, but the supplier has been making every effort to resolve these. The supplier is aware of UK demand and will be building up stocks accordingly.

TREASURY

Banks: Finance

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with the Governor of the Bank of England on breaking up banks which have received funding from the public purse.

Mark Hoban: The Chancellor has regular discussions with the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss such issues as are relevant at the time.
	In June 2010, the Government asked Sir John Vickers to lead the Independent Commission on Banking, to look at the structuring of the UK banking sector and to make recommendations to the Government. The Commission will deliver its report to the Cabinet Committee on Banking Reform by the end of September 2011.

Car Allowances

Gordon Banks: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to adjust approved mileage allowance rates in line with changes made since 2002 to HM Revenue and Customs Advisory Fuel Rates for  (a) 1,400 cc,  (b) 1,401-2,100 cc and  (c) 2,101 cc and above vehicles.

Justine Greening: The Government keep the rates under regular review as part of the Budget process.

Climate Change: Finance

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the use of International Monetary Fund special drawing rights as a source of climate finance.

Justine Greening: The Government are committed to delivering necessary climate finance to help developing counties, particularly the poorest, adapt to and mitigate climate change, including exploring innovative financing options. The Government will consider all options in the round, including through their participation in the High Level Advisory Group on Climate Change Financing established under the Copenhagen Accord.

Credit Unions: Renewable Energy

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is on the provision of financial support for community-owned renewable energy schemes from community-based credit unions; and if he will make a statement.

Gregory Barker: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are committed to empowering local authorities, communities and institutions to lead on innovation at the local level. The Government want all interested communities and organisations, including, credit unions, to be able to access the support made available through the Feed In Tariffs (FITs) programme or the Renewables Obligation (RO) as appropriate to the scale of the project.
	Further information on the FITs and the RO is available at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uk_supply/energymix/renewable/feedin_tariff/feedin_tariff.aspx
	http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/what_we_do/uksupply/energy_mix/renewable/policy/renew_obs/renew_obs.aspx
	To support this, my officials are working on developing a 'Community Energy Online' toolkit. This will provide signposts and guidance on taking forward transformational projects and will provide advice on issues including funding, legal issues, location and technology choices. We are planning to launch this toolkit in the autumn.

Debts

Anas Sarwar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects on the average level of household debt of the Government's programme of spending reductions and the proposed change to the standard rate of value added tax.

David Gauke: The information requested falls within the responsibility of Geoffrey Dicks, a member of the Budget Responsibility Committee of the Office of Budget Responsibility. I have asked Geoffrey to reply.
	 Letter from Geoffrey Dicks, dated 9 September 2010:
	As a member of the Budget Responsibility Committee of the Office for Budget Responsibility I have been asked to reply to your recent question 14140.
	The pre-Budget OBR forecast published on 14 June has total household debt at £1,561 billion by the end of 2011, compared to £1,519 billion at the end of 2009 (based on ONS figures), an increase of 2.8%. Net borrowing, defined as the change in the stock of debt, is therefore £42 billion over the two years.
	The Budget OBR forecast published on 22 June has total household debt at £1,564 billion by the end of 2011. Net borrowing, defined as the change in the stock of debt, is therefore £45 billion over the two years. Debt is forecast to be higher by around 0.1% compared to the pre-Budget forecast.
	However, as explained in both the pre-Budget forecast document and Annex C of the Budget (see paragraphs C.11, C53 and Box C.1), a comparison of the two forecasts does not provide a firm basis for an estimate of the economic effects of measures in the Budget.

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Justine Greening: The proportion of invoices from suppliers paid within 10 days of receipt in July 2010 was 98.2%.
	Information on the payment performance for August is not currently available. Details of the five-day payment performance for the Treasury Group are available at:
	www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
	around 15 days after the month end.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Justine Greening: The payment performance for 2009-10 is shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Days 
			   0-30  31-60  61-90  90+ 
			 HM Treasury 2,730 10 4 1 
			 Debt Management Office 1,502 42 6 1 
			 Asset Protection Agency 247 0 0 0 
			 Royal Mint Advisory Committee 0 0 0 0

Departmental Internet

Graham Evans: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much  (a) the Debt Management Office and  (b) his Department spent on website design in each cost category between 2003-04 and 2006-07.

Mark Hoban: in September 2006, the DMO completed a three year project to completely re-engineer its website
	www.dmo.gov.uk
	at a total cost of £540,000. The DMO consolidated three websites into one, which is relied upon by markets for a range of key gilt and money market data and operational announcements.
	This cost includes resources utilised on the development, design and construction phases of this project; however, the design costs themselves cannot be disaggregated.
	The departmental website
	www.hm.-treasury.gov.uk
	was relaunched in 2004 to improve navigation and meet accessibility standards at a design cost of £22,000 excluding VAT.

Departmental Public Relations

Pete Wishart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the monetary value was of  (a) public opinion research and  (b) public relations contracts awarded by his Department in (i) each (A) nation and (B) region of the UK in each of the last five years.

Justine Greening: The Treasury does not record public relations expenditure as a separate category but a search of supplier records for the years in question revealed no payments to suppliers that are known to be public relations companies. A more comprehensive answer could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many external training courses were attended by staff of his Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Justine Greening: No central records are held relating to this and information could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. Directorates have delegated training budgets that are used for the provision of external training and all training requests are subject to line manager approval.

Financial Services Authority: Fees and Charges

Simon Kirby: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of the Financial Services Authority (FSA) on the effects on small businesses of the FSA's fee increases; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials meet senior members of the FSA on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of economic and financial issues. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of such meetings.

Housing Benefit

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to Table 2.1 of the Budget Red Book, HC 61, what methodology was used to calculate the figures for expenditure reductions by  (a) limiting working age entitlements to reflect the size of family and  (b) switching to Consumer Price Index indexation for local housing allowance for 2013-14 and 2014-15.

David Gauke: The methodology used to derive policy costings for housing benefit reforms announced in the June Budget is set out in the "Budget 2010 policy costings" document at pages 39 to 41. The document is available on the Treasury website at the following address:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/junebudget_costings.pdf.

Local Government Finance

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department plans to publish a summary of the suggestions it has received from members of the public on reductions in expenditure by local authorities.

Danny Alexander: The Government received over 44,000 suggestions from members of the public through the spending challenge website a number of which related to local authority spend. Members of the public were invited to review and rate the ideas received in order to help identify the most promising ones.
	The Government have committed to reviewing the ideas with the most potential and will seek to highlight where ideas submitted by the public have been taken into account when the results of the spending review are announced on 20 October.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay of 19 July on a constituent, Mr N. Kelleway.

Justine Greening: A reply was sent to the hon. Member on 2 September 2010 by Phil Pavitt, Director General, HMRC.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects his Department to respond to the letter of 7 July 2010 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay on a constituent, Mr T. Sheppard.

Justine Greening: A reply has been sent to the hon. Member.

Minimum Wage: Enforcement

David Hamilton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs spent on enforcement of legislation governing the national minimum wage in each of the last five years.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	HM Revenue and Customs enforce the national minimum wage (NMW) on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS). The amount spent by HMRC on this in the financial years 2005-06 to 2009-10 were as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 5,679,928 
			 2006-07 5,566,013 
			 2007-08 6,501,981 
			 2008-09 7,495,445 
			 2009-10(1) 7,725,000 
			 (1) Plus additional funding of £180,000 from CLG's Migration Impact fund.

Personal Savings: Children

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of work undertaken by the Financial Services Authority to encourage young people to save.

Mark Hoban: The financial capability work of the Financial Services Authority was transferred to a new Consumer Financial Education Body (CFEB) in April 2010. Under the 2010 Financial Services Act, the CFEB has statutory objectives to improve understanding of financial matters among the general public and to enhance the ability of members of the public to manage their financial affairs. It does not currently have programmes specifically targeted at encouraging young people to save. The CFEB is an independent body which is responsible for measuring the effectiveness of its work.

Public Finance

William Bain: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he plans to place a limit on non-cyclical structural borrowing  (a) between 2010 and 2015 and  (b) after 2015.

Justine Greening: The Budget announced the Government's forward-looking fiscal mandate to achieve cyclically-adjusted current balance by the end of the rolling, five-year forecast period.
	At this time of rapidly rising debt, the Budget also announced that the fiscal mandate will be supplemented by a target for public sector net debt as a percentage of GDP to be falling in 2015-16.

Public Sector: Pay

George Howarth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effects of the public sector pay freeze on the progression of public sector staff against incremental pay scales; and if he will make a statement.

Danny Alexander: The Budget announced that pay in public sector work forces would be frozen for two years from 2011-12, with exceptions for those earning £21,000 or less, who will see an increase of at least £250 in each of these years.

Public Sector: Pay

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the public sector pay freeze for those earning over £21,000 per year will include local government craft workers whose rates of pay are governed by agreements of the Joint Negotiating Committee for Local Authority Craft and Associated Employees; and whether the £250 annual payment for public sector workers earning under £21,000 per year will be paid to such workers.

Bob Neill: I have been asked to reply.
	The pay of local government craft workers is determined by the Joint Negotiating Committee (JNC) for Local Authority Craft and Associated Employees, made up of the Employers' Side and the Trade Union Side. Central Government have no role in respect of the JNC.

Public Sector: Pay

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the £21,000 annual threshold his Department has set for the public sector pay freeze will be calculated on basic pay only.

Danny Alexander: The Budget announced a two year pay freeze from 2011-12 for public sector work forces, except for those earning £21,000 or less, who will receive an increase of at least £250 per year. It is for employers to define annual salary as appropriate to their work forces.

Public Sector: Pay

Natascha Engel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the £21,000 annual salary threshold his Department has set for the public sector pay freeze will be calculated on basic pay only.

Danny Alexander: The Budget announced a two year pay freeze from 2011-12 for public sector work forces, except for those earning £21,000 or less, who will receive an increase of at least £250 per year. It is for employers to define annual salary as appropriate to their work forces.

Public Sector: Procurement

Sheila Gilmore: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps are being taken to promote the use of community benefit clauses in Government procurement contracts; whether there are targets for the use of such clauses; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: I have been asked to reply.
	The primary purpose of public procurement is the acquisition of those goods, services and works necessary for public sector organisations to carry out their policy responsibilities, to appropriate standards of quality and value for money.
	Public sector organisations are free to use community benefit clauses in their contracts, providing these represent value for money, are relevant to the overall requirement and are consistent with Government procurement rules and EU treaty principles of openness, non-discrimination and proportionality.
	As decisions on when to use community benefit clauses have to be taken on a case-by-case basis, it would not be appropriate to set targets for such clauses.

Research and Development Tax Credit

Ben Wallace: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the future of research and development tax credits; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in the Budget statement that the Government will consult with business in autumn 2010 to review the taxation of intellectual property, the support R&D tax credits provide for innovation and the proposals of the Dyson Review.

Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much was spent by HM Revenue and Customs on outsourcing to debt collection agencies to pursue tax debts in each of the last five years; and how much was recouped by such agencies in each of those years.

David Gauke: HMRC undertook a small scale pilot exercise on the use of private sector debt collection agencies (DCAs) in 2009-10. It had not previously used such agencies. As announced in the Budget HMRC will, this year, be using debt collection agencies to collect £140 million of additional revenue from existing tax debts.
	DCAs working on behalf of HMRC are paid on a "commission only" basis where payment is made as a percentage of recovered debt. Commission rates (and/or figures that would allow their calculation) are commercially sensitive and disclosure would be likely to compromise future procurement.
	A copy of the pilot evaluation report is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/cap-cap-pilot.pdf

Revenue and Customs: Debt Collection

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what mechanism HM Revenue and Customs has put in place to monitor the conduct of its debt collection agency contractors;
	(2)  what safeguards HM Revenue and Customs has put in place to protect the personal information of taxpayers which has been shared with debt collection agency contractors.

David Gauke: HMRC successfully piloted using private sector debt collection agencies (DCAs) in 2009-10. It was subsequently announced in the June 2010 budget that HMRC would make further use of DCAs in 2010-11. The pilot demonstrated that DCAs can be used cost effectively and securely to collect debt on HMRC's behalf and without compromise to HMRC's high standards. A copy of the evaluation report is available on the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/about/cap-cap-pilot.pdf
	HMRC require DCAs working on its behalf to comply with strict codes of conduct and the contracts require that they maintain HMRC standards in relation to customer service, data security and professionalism. A robust audit and assurance process is in place, which builds on the experience gained during the 2009-10 pilot.

Tax Havens

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions HM Revenue and Customs has had with offshore account holders on the process of depositing funds outside the UK.

David Gauke: To improve its understanding of how and why UK resident individuals open offshore bank accounts, in August HMRC wrote to 568 offshore account holders asking them to voluntarily complete a telephone questionnaire on the operation of their accounts. To date, 19 have been completed.

Tax Havens

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what details of offshore account holders HM Revenue and Customs has sought from UK banks in the last 12 months.

David Gauke: In August 2009, HM Revenue and Customs sought consent from the first-tier tribunal to issue 307 notices under schedule 36 FA 2008 requiring banks to provide information about their customers who have offshore accounts. Consent to issue the notices was given by the first-tier tribunal.

Taxation: Business

Laura Sandys: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made on the effects of business taxes on larger empty commercial properties on levels of investment in new commercial facilities.

Bob Neill: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has not made any assessment of how business rates on larger empty properties have affected investment in new commercial facilities.
	The current empty property rate regime was introduced in 2008 by the previous Government.
	For 2010-11, all empty properties with rateable values up to £18,000 are exempt from business rates. 70% of properties have a rateable value below that threshold so, if empty, will pay no rates this year.

Taxation: Business

Christopher Pincher: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs spent on the production and distribution of Tax Guides CDs to UK businesses in each year since 2005.

David Gauke: The costs are shown in the following table and include development, replication, packaging, and distribution.
	
		
			   £ 
			 2005-06 2,284,083 
			 2006-07 2,159,929 
			 2007-08 2,182,472 
			 2008-09 2,311,151 
			 2009-10 1,465,928

Welfare Tax Credits: Overpayments

Penny Mordaunt: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to his Department of processing subject access requests in connection with overpaid tax credits to date; and how many such requests there have been in each year since tax credits were introduced.

David Gauke: The information requested is not available.
	The level of work involved in fulfilling a Subject Access Request (SAR) can vary considerably therefore it is not possible for HM Revenue and Customs to calculate an average unit cost.
	Requestors do not need to give a reason for making a SAR so the information on the number of requests relating to tax. Credits overpayments is not recorded.

EDUCATION

Financial Services: Education

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the level of financial literacy among school leavers; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if he will discuss with  (a) the financial services sector and  (b) other businesses their potential support for the provision of financial literacy teaching in (i) secondary and (ii) primary schools; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Gibb: The economic wellbeing and financial capability strand of personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE) was introduced in secondary schools in September 2008. In their inspection report on PSHE published in July, Ofsted found that students in schools that were successfully developing personal finance education showed a good understanding of personal finance, used financial terms correctly and were able to apply their knowledge in making financial decisions. This was based on evidence from inspections of economic understanding and financial capability in 53 secondary schools visited in 2008 and 2009.
	The report can be found at:
	http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/Ofsted-home/Publications-and-research/Browse-all-by/Documents-by-type/Thematic-reports/Personal-social-health-and-economic-education-in-schools

GCE A-level

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of A levels in  (a) chemistry,  (b) physics,  (c) mathematics and  (d) modern foreign languages were awarded to candidates from (i) grammar schools, (ii) comprehensive schools, (iii) sixth form colleges and (iv) independent schools in academic year 2008-09.

Nick Gibb: In the academic year 2008-09, the percentages of A-levels awarded to candidates are shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Percentage of A-levels awarded to candidates 
			  Institution type  Chemistry  Physics  Mathematics  Modern Foreign Languages 
			 Grammar schools 14.6 14.0 13.1 11.0 
			 Comprehensive schools 39.4 41.5 40.3 34.3 
			 Sixth form colleges 16.9 14.3 16.8 13.6 
			 Independent schools 21.8 23.0 21.6 34.1 
			  Source: Achievement and Attainment Tables.

Mathematics: GCE AS-level

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of those pupils taking further mathematics at AS level were studying at  (a) comprehensive,  (b) independent and  (c) grammar schools in 2009.

Nick Gibb: In 2009, of those pupils taking further mathematics at AS-level 44.5% were in comprehensive schools, 13.4% in Independent schools and 11.9% in grammar schools.

Private Education

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many and what proportion of children of compulsory school age in each local education authority area attended independent schools in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Nick Gibb: The following table shows the local authority area of the school attended. Some pupils will live in one local authority area and attend an independent school elsewhere.
	
		
			  Children of compulsory school age( 1,2)  attending independent schools by local authority area of the school attended, January 2010 (final)-Government office region and local authority area in England 
			   Independent schools  All schools( 3)  Percentage 
			  England(3) 426,510 6,595,070 6.5 
			 
			  North East(3) 9,390 315,630 3.0 
			 Darlington 385 13,153 2.9 
			 Durham 1,648 59,867 2.8 
			 Gateshead 765 23,373 3.3 
			 Hartlepool 9 12,282 0.1 
			 Middlesbrough 58 17,911 0.3 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 3,344 31,803 10.5 
			 North Tyneside 631 23,764 2.7 
			 Northumberland 385 37,970 1.0 
			 Redcar and Cleveland 0 18,254 0.0 
			 South Tyneside 0 17,880 0.0 
			 Stockton-on-Tees 1,372 24,927 5.5 
			 Sunderland 795 34,442 2.3 
			 
			  North West(3) 38,390 896,860 4.3 
			 Blackburn with Darwen 2,297 23,174 9.9 
			 Blackpool 602 17,934 3.4 
			 Bolton 2,312 39,385 5.9 
			 Bury 1,563 25,289 6.2 
			 Cheshire East 3,463 44,898 7.7 
			 Cheshire West and Chester 3,267 43,030 7.6 
			 Cumbria 2,205 60,754 3.6 
			 Halton 33 15,689 0.2 
			 Knowsley 0 17,878 0.0 
			 Lancashire 4,486 145,117 3.1 
			 Liverpool 1,280 54,389 2.4 
			 Manchester 4,404 57,601 7.6 
			 Oldham 1,003 34,425 2.9 
			 Rochdale 336 28,002 1.2 
			 Salford 2,198 27,592 8.0 
			 Sefton 2,034 36,263 5.6 
			 St Helens 509 21,945 2.3 
			 Stockport 3,617 36,355 9.9 
			 Tameside 130 29,360 0.4 
			 Trafford 1,512 31,190 4.8 
			 Warrington 23 26,203 0.1 
			 Wigan 0 39,226 0.0 
			 Wirral 1,113 41,165 2.7 
			 
			  Yorkshire and the Humber(3) 25,120 659,830 3.8 
			 Barnsley 153 27,442 0.6 
			 Bradford 3,327 72,914 4.6 
			 Calderdale 1,015 29,200 3.5 
			 Doncaster 470 37,782 1.2 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 1,461 41,185 3.5 
			 Kingston upon Hull, City of 875 30,404 2.9 
			 Kirklees 1,690 54,065 3.1 
			 Leeds 3,733 89,907 4.2 
			 North East Lincolnshire 251 20,005 1.3 
			 North Lincolnshire 132 20,596 0.6 
			 North Yorkshire 4,612 73,608 6.3 
			 Rotherham 211 35,490 0.6 
			 Sheffield 2,282 62,690 3.6 
			 Wakefield 3,179 43,546 7.3 
			 York 1,729 20,994 8.2 
			 
			  East Midlands(3) 24,130 562,630 4.3 
			 Derby 892 32,580 2.7 
			 Derbyshire 3,438 93,166 3.7 
			 Leicester 1,676 40,826 4.1 
			 Leicestershire 5,064 83,297 6.1 
			 Lincolnshire 3,275 88,249 3.7 
			 Northamptonshire 4,291 90,927 4.7 
			 Nottingham 2,402 33,138 7.2 
			 Nottinghamshire 1,789 94,677 1.9 
			 Rutland 1,299 5,767 22.5 
			 
			  West Midlands(3) 31,600 724,370 4.4 
			 Birmingham 6,016 149,932 4.0 
			 Coventry 2,211 41,458 5.3 
			 Dudley 223 40,889 0.5 
			 Herefordshire 1,367 21,362 6.4 
			 Sandwell 25 40,767 0.1 
			 Shropshire 3,680 36,482 10.1 
			 Solihull 1,466 31,902 4.6 
			 Staffordshire 3,489 103,228 3.4 
			 Stoke-on-Trent 118 28,645 0.4 
			 Telford and Wrekin 611 23,036 2.7 
			 Walsall 1,075 38,214 2.8 
			 Warwickshire 4,457 67,719 6.6 
			 Wolverhampton 1,183 30,886 3.8 
			 Worcestershire 5,680 69,850 8.1 
			 
			  East of England(3) 49,160 741,660 6.6 
			 Bedford 3,516 23,585 14.9 
			 Central Bedfordshire 264 31,643 0.8 
			 Cambridgeshire 6,313 73,038 8.6 
			 Essex 9,285 176,505 5.3 
			 Hertfordshire 16,866 155,367 10.9 
			 Luton 782 28,864 2.7 
			 Norfolk 4,825 97,690 4.9 
			 Peterborough 301 24,995 1.2 
			 Southend-on-Sea 945 22,952 4.1 
			 Suffolk 6,066 86,894 7.0 
			 Thurrock 0 20,127 0.0 
			 
			  London(3) 98,470 978,720 10.1 
			 
			  Inner London(3) 48,890 349,260 14.0 
			 Camden 5.424 21,919 24.7 
			 City of London 1,531 1,706 89.7 
			 Hackney 5,280 26,874 19.6 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 4,571 17,954 25.5 
			 Haringey 1,872 29,744 6.3 
			 Islington 451 18,933 2.4 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 8,485 17,058 49.7 
			 Lambeth 1,173 26,443 4.4 
			 Lewisham 1,480 30,272 4.9 
			 Newham 885 41,988 2.1 
			 Southwark 3,789 33,015 11.5 
			 Tower Hamlets 1,302 31,866 4.1 
			 Wandsworth 7,237 30,143 24.0 
			 Westminster 5,411 21,343 25.4 
			 
			  Outer London(3) 49,580 629,460 7.9 
			 Barking and Dagenham 10 26,065 0.0 
			 Barnet 4,682 42,579 11.0 
			 Bexley 444 33,556 1.3 
			 Brent 1,723 35,095 4.9 
			 Bromley 3,339 40,840 8.2 
			 Croydon 5,164 47,185 10.9 
			 Ealing 3,986 39,666 10.0 
			 Enfield 1,256 42,550 3.0 
			 Greenwich 2,174 29,578 7.4 
			 Harrow 3,388 28,622 11.8 
			 Havering 636 31,961 2.0 
			 Hillingdon 2,913 37,171 7.8 
			 Hounslow 928 29,149 3.2 
			 Kingston upon Thames 2,903 19,881 14.6 
			 Merton 2,910 22,236 13.1 
			 Redbridge 3,108 39,839 7.8 
			 Richmond upon Thames 7,324 25,068 29.2 
			 Sutton 1,297 26,412 4.9 
			 Waltham Forest 1,391 32,008 4.3 
			 
			  South East(3) 109,140 1,082,600 10.1 
			 Bracknell Forest 2,153 14,809 14.5 
			 Brighton and Hove 2,904 28,738 10.1 
			 Buckinghamshire 6,669 67,834 9.8 
			 East Sussex 4,914 61,053 8.0 
			 Hampshire 13,089 163,413 8.0 
			 Isle of Wight 685 15,957 4.3 
			 Kent 13,716 188,557 7.3 
			 Medway 1,046 35,553 2.9 
			 Milton Keynes 659 32,695 2.0 
			 Oxfordshire 11,605 81,576 14.2 
			 Portsmouth 2,587 23,198 11.2 
			 Reading 2,146 15,880 13.5 
			 Slough 437 18,577 2.4 
			 Southampton 1,386 25,203 5.5 
			 Surrey 27,705 147,336 18.8 
			 West Berkshire 2,357 22,692 10.4 
			 West Sussex 8,848 98,134 9.0 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 4,082 19,913 20.5 
			 Wokingham 2,156 21,477 10.0 
			 
			  South West(3) 41,110 632,780 6.5 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 3,298 23,976 13.8 
			 Bournemouth 1,140 18,399 6.2 
			 Bristol, City of 4,623 43,687 10.6 
			 Cornwall 1,913 61,920 3.1 
			 Devon 5,736 86,940 6.6 
			 Dorset 4,202 49,728 8.4 
			 Gloucestershire 5,889 75,814 7.8 
			 Isles of Scilly 0 232 0.0 
			 North Somerset 773 24,893 3.1 
			 Plymouth 690 30,791 2.2 
			 Poole 534 16,113 3.3 
			 Somerset 6,788 65,999 10.3 
			 South Gloucestershire 297 33,687 0.9 
			 Swindon 52 25,628 0.2 
			 Torbay 419 15,433 2.7 
			 Wiltshire 4,756 59,542 8.0 
			 (1) Excludes dual registrations. Pupils of compulsory school age only (aged 5 to 15 at the start of the school year). In PRUs also includes pupils registered with other providers and further education colleges.  (2) National and regional totals have been rounded to the nearest 10. There may be discrepancies between the sum of constituent items and totals as shown.  (3) Includes local authority maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools, city technology colleges, academies, maintained and non-maintained special schools, general hospital schools, PRUs and independent schools.   Source:  School Census.

Schools: Standards

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools rated (i) good and (ii) satisfactory at their most recent Ofsted inspection were rated outstanding at the preceding inspection.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 19 July 2010
	This is a matter for Ofsted. HM Chief Inspector, Christine Gilbert, has written to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply has been placed in the Libraries.
	 Letter from Lorraine Langham, dated 9 August 2010:
	Your recent parliamentary question has been passed to Her Majesty's Chief Inspector for response. Her Majesty's Chief Inspector is currently on leave and I am deputising for her in her absence.
	The latest period for which published figures about maintained school section 5 inspection outcomes are available is the spring term of 2009/10. This answer, therefore, takes into account those primary and secondary schools (including academies and city technology colleges) which were open on 21 April 2010 and had received an inspection on or before 31 March 2010.
	Under the school inspection frameworks used between January 2000 and August 2005 (commonly known as section 10), the school's overall effectiveness judgement was made using a seven point scale: 'excellent', 'very good', 'good', 'satisfactory', 'unsatisfactory', 'poor' and 'very poor'. Since September 2005, the overall effectiveness judgement has been made under the current school inspection framework (commonly known as section 5) using a four point scale: 'outstanding', 'good', 'satisfactory' and 'inadequate'.
	Given the differences in the measurement of overall effectiveness between the frameworks, it is not possible to operate a simple, read-across approach between section 10 and section 5 inspection frameworks.
	As the question refers to those schools which were found to be outstanding, this answer only looks at those inspections that took place under section 5 (from September 2005). It does not include those schools currently 'good' or 'satisfactory' under section 5, with previous inspection judgements under the previous section 10 framework.
	Information on which schools were open on 21 April 2010 has been taken from the Department for Education's Edubase system. Information regarding section 5 inspections was taken from archived information on Ofsted's systems.
	Of the 7,545 primary schools inspected more than once under section 5, there were 162 primary schools rated 'good' where their previous section 5 inspection was also rated 'outstanding'.
	Of the 1,611 secondary schools inspected more than once under section 5, there were 25 secondary schools rated 'good' where their previous section 5 inspection was also rated 'outstanding'.
	Of the 7,545 primary schools inspected more than once under section 5, there were 36 primary schools rated 'satisfactory' where their previous section 5 inspection was also rated 'outstanding'.
	Of the 1,611 secondary schools inspected more than once under section 5, there were two secondary schools rated 'satisfactory' where their previous section 5 inspection was also rated 'outstanding'.
	Tables 1 and 2 below contain the information requested.
	A copy of this reply has been sent to Nick Gibb MP, Minister of State for Schools, and will be placed in the library of both Houses.
	
		
			  Table 1: Secondary schools and primary schools rated "good" in their most recent Ofsted inspection and rated "outstanding" in their previous inspection and the proportion of the total numbers they represent 
			   Open schools at 21 April 2010 and inspected on or before  31 March 2010  Schools inspected more than once under section 5  Currently graded good for inspections  31 March 2010 and inspected more than once  With a previous consecutive section 5 inspection graded outstanding  Total as a proportion of all schools currently graded good and inspected more than once under section 5 (percentage)  Total as a proportion of all schools inspected more than once under section 5 (percentage) 
			 Secondary(1) 3,189 1,611 611 25 4 2 
			 Primary 16,905 7,545 3,637 162 4 2 
			 Total 20,094 9,156 4,248 187 4 2 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Secondary schools and primary schools rated "satisfactory" in their most recent Ofsted inspection and rated "outstanding" in their previous inspection and the proportion of the total numbers they represent 
			   Open schools at 21 April 2010 and inspected on or before  31 March 2010  Schools inspected more than once under section 5  Currently graded  satisfactory for inspections  31 March 2010 and inspected more than once  With a previous consecutive section 5 inspection graded outstanding  Total as a proportion of all schools currently graded satisfactory and inspected more than once under section 5  (percentage)  Total as a proportion of all schools inspected more than once under section 5  (percentage) 
			 Secondary(1) 3,189 1,611 613 2 0 0 
			 Primary 16,905 7,545 2,558 36 1 0 
			 Total 20,094 9,156 3,171 38 1 0 
			 (1) Secondary schools include secondary, academy and city technology colleges

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Alternative Vote: Referendums

David Hamilton: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of each written representation he has received from the devolved administrations on the proposed alternative vote referendum.

Mark Harper: I refer the hon. Member to the answer provided to the hon. Members for Caerphilly (Mr David) and Wyre and Preston North (Mr Wallace) on 9 September 2010,  Official Report, column 647W.

Distribution of Seats

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what options for the number of seats in the House of Commons he considered before deciding to propose 600 seats as the size of the House.

Mark Harper: The Conservative and Liberal Democrat manifestos both proposed a reduction in size of the House of Commons, to 585 and 500 seats respectively (the latter in the context of the introduction of the single transferable vote). The coalition agreement announced that legislation would be introduced "to provide for the creation of fewer and more equally sized constituencies". Ultimately it is a matter of judgment as to the most suitable size of the House, and Ministers decided that a modest reduction to 600 seats would be appropriate, mindful that hon. Members must be able to serve their constituents and that the House must be of sufficient size to be able to carry out its functions effectively. Under the Government's proposals, the 1 December 2009 register suggests the electoral quota for the UK would be around 76,000. 218 of the existing constituencies are already within 5% either side of 76,000, so the impact of our proposals will see constituencies of a size well within existing norms.

Domestic Visits

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the cost to the public purse of  (a) transport,  (b) venue and accommodation,  (c) printed materials, including backdrops,  (d) security,  (e) staffing,  (f) filming and photography and  (g) other costs of each public meeting he has held since his appointment;
	(2)  what vetting his Office undertakes of people attending public meetings with the Deputy Prime Minister.

Nicholas Clegg: Since my appointment as Deputy Prime Minister I have held open public meetings in Abingdon (24 July 2010), Newcastle (19 August 2010), Bristol (21 August 2010) and Croydon (27 August 2010) to provide members of the public with an opportunity to raise local, regional or national issues with me directly. Costs have been minimised as far as possible. Transport and accommodation have been arranged in accordance with ministerial and civil service guidelines. Venues have been sourced at minimal cost: £52 for Abingdon and free of charge in Newcastle, Bristol and Croydon. Staffing, and filming and photography for Government use are all part of the Cabinet Office communications support function and do not incur additional costs. Branding for the events is generic and reused at each event, with an initial cost of £680 for printing. It is Government policy not to comment on security arrangements.

Domestic Visits

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many  (a) civil servants and  (b) special advisers accompanied him on each public meeting since his appointment.

Nicholas Clegg: My public meetings are organised and supported by Cabinet Office civil servants. Support will vary according to the individual visit. Numbers for the meetings held are as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			   Date  Civil servants  Special advisors 
			 Abingdon 24 July 2010 5 0 
			 Newcastle 19 August 2010 6 1 
			 Bristol 21 August 2010 3 0 
			 Croydon 27 August 2010 5 0

Electoral Systems

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister whether he has made an assessment of the opinions of residents of  (a) Argyll and Bute and  (b) other constituencies on exemptions from his proposed requirement for electoral equality.

Mark Harper: No such assessment has been made. The principle of greater fairness and equality in the size of constituencies was set out in the coalition programme for government and is a cornerstone of the Bill. The Government consider it right to allow only two named exceptions to what is intended to be a clear principle. There will be debate in the House, and consultation by the Boundary Commissions once they have published their recommendations. The Bill increases the time period during which representations may be made from four to 12 weeks.

Electoral Systems: Isle of Wight

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make an estimate of the likely effect on the UK quota of the exemption of the Isle of Wight from his proposed requirement for electoral equality.

Mark Harper: If a UK electoral quota for 598 seats is calculated using the 1 December 2009 electorate, for illustrative purposes, a quota of 75,862 is reached once the electorates of the preserved constituencies of Orkney and Shetland and Na h-Eileanan an lar are removed. If, in addition, the electorate of the Isle of Wight were to be removed from the UK calculation, the quota (for 597 seats) would be 75,805.

Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill

Andrew Turner: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what representations he took into account in formulating the proposed rule 4 in clause 9 of the Parliamentary Voting System and Constituencies Bill.

Mark Harper: In drafting the Bill, Ministers considered advice from officials and parliamentary counsel, and officials discussed the technical impact of the clauses with the Secretariats of the four Boundary Commissions.

Voting Systems: Referendums

Pete Wishart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how much the Government will spend promoting their planned referendum on the alternative vote system.

Mark Harper: There are clear restrictions on Government activity around referendums, and the Government do not plan to spend any money specifically on promoting the referendum on the alternative vote. The Electoral Commission, under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act, will give positive consideration to taking forward public awareness activity.

Voting Systems: Reform

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what estimate he has made of the likely effect on the number of spoilt ballot papers of a move to  (a) an alternative vote,  (b) a single transferable vote and  (c) other electoral systems.

Mark Harper: The Government have made no such estimate.

CABINET OFFICE

Big Society Bank

James Morris: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  whether funds from the Big Society Bank will be available to social enterprises offering job placement and training schemes;
	(2)  at what stage funds from the Big Society Bank will be available to local communities in addition to the four recently announced, with particular reference to Halesowen and Rowley Region.

Nick Hurd: The Big Society Bank will be a wholesale institution, and so its funds will be used to assist or enable other organisations give financial or other support to social enterprises, charities and voluntary and community organisations. This means it may invest in social enterprises and community groups, including those offering job placements and training schemes in Halesowen and Rowley, but through social investment intermediaries rather than directly.
	Our aim is to establish the Big Society Bank by April 2011. It will be accessible to relevant intermediary organisations across the country, not just in the four Vanguard Communities.

Business

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the five year survival rate of small businesses was in  (a) North Swindon constituency and  (b) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning what the five year survival rate of small businesses was in (a) North Swindon constituency and (b) England in the latest period for which figures are available. (13333)
	Annual statistics on business births, deaths and survival are available from the ONS release on Business Demography at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	The table below contains the latest statistics available on small enterprise five year survival in North Swindon parliamentary constituency and England.
	
		
			  The count of births in 2003 and the count and percentage of five year survival for enterprises with less than 50 employment 
			  Geography  2003 births  5 year survival  5 year percentage 
			 England 235,800 110,360 46.8 
			 North Swindon 335 165 49.3 
			  Note: A small business is defined as an enterprise with less than 50 employment.

Business: North Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many small businesses in North Swindon constituency had a turnover of  (a) under £100,000 and  (b) over £100,000 in the latest year for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question concerning how many small businesses in North Swindon constituency had a turnover of (a) under £100,000 and (b) over £100,000 in the latest year for which figures are available.
	Annual statistics on business counts are available from the ONS release UK Business: Activity, Size and location at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	Data are for enterprises in the constituency of North Swindon with less than 50 employment and for the year 2009.
	
		
			  Count of VAT and/or PAYE-based enterprises with less than 50 employment for the constituency of North Swindon in 2009 
			  Turnover size 
			 £0-£99,000 1,165 
			 £100,000+ 1,330 
			  Note: A small business is defined as an enterprise with less than 50 employment.

Business: North Swindon

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many businesses  (a) started up and  (b) ceased to exist in North Swindon constituency in each year since 1997.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated September 2010:
	.
	Annual statistics on business births, deaths and actives are available for 2002 onwards from the ONS release on Business Demography at:
	www.statistics.gov.uk
	The table below contains the latest statistics available, on enterprise births and deaths in North Swindon for the years 2002 to 2008.
	
		
			  Enterprise births and deaths for the constituency of North Swindon, 2002-08 
			  Number 
			   Births  Deaths 
			 2002 310 (1)- 
			 2003 335 (1)- 
			 2004 355 (1)- 
			 2005 315 240 
			 2006 325 285 
			 2007 345 230 
			 2008 395 230 
			 (1) Not available.

Civil Servants: Conditions of Employment

Ben Wallace: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will take steps to ensure that terms and conditions of employment of low-paid civil servants are not affected by changes to civil service employment contracts.

Francis Maude: Whenever changes to terms and conditions are being considered we consider very carefully how these might impact on all civil servants, including the low paid. Management structures and working practices, including well established processes of consultation and negotiation, are in place to represent the interests of all civil servants in that regard.

Civil Servants: Redundancy Pay

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what legal advice his Department obtained before the introduction of the Superannuation Bill; and what discussions he and his officials had with civil service unions on the future of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme.

Francis Maude: The issues of whether legal advice has been taken, and what that legal advice is, are privileged. The Government do not disclose the legal advice that they have taken.
	My officials and I have undertaken several discussions with the civil service unions on reform of the Civil Service Compensation Scheme. I met with Paul Noon, chair of the Council of Civil Service Unions on 13 July and I met with him and the members of the CCSU again on 9 September. Between those dates my officials have conducted a large number of meetings with representatives from the unions in order to develop a framework for a new compensation scheme.
	It remains my desire to reach an agreement with the unions on a new scheme before the Superannuation Bill is passed.

Departmental Allowances

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997.

Francis Maude: The Cabinet Office's annual resource accounts from 1999-2000 to 2009-10 years, available in the House of Commons Library, provide combined total amounts for expenditure on travel, subsistence and hospitality. Further information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what proportion of invoices from suppliers his Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Francis Maude: The percentage of compliant invoices from all suppliers which were paid within 10 days of receipt is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage within 10 days 
			 July 2010 95.4 
			 August 2010 95.5 
		
	
	This response excludes the Constitution Group function which was recently transferred to Cabinet Office from the Ministry of Justice.

Departmental Buildings

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much office space per employee his Department occupied in each year since 1997.

Francis Maude: Information on space usage is published in the annual 'State of the Estate' report. This is available at:
	http://www.ogc.gov.uk/high_performing_property_the_state_ of_the_estate.asp
	A copy has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Consultants

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much was spent on external consultants and advisers by  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible in each year since 2005.

Francis Maude: The amount spent on external consultancy and advice by the Cabinet Office in each financial year since 2005-06 is as follows:
	
		
			   £ million 
			 2005-06 50.5 
			 2006-07 21.4 
			 2007-08 19.1 
			 2008-09 19.3 
			 2009-10 18.0

Departmental Disclosure of Information

Angus MacNeil: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many investigations following the unauthorised disclosure of information from his Department there have been in the last 12 months.

Francis Maude: In the last 12 months my Department has been involved with investigating one suspected unauthorised disclosure of information.
	In line with exemptions 1(a) and 7(b) set out in Part II of the "Code of Practice on Access to Government Information", it has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on the outcome of such inquiries in order to safeguard security and investigative arrangements.

Departmental ICT

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which IT contracts awarded by his Department in each of the last five years have been abandoned; and what the monetary value of each such contract was.

Francis Maude: No IT contracts awarded by the Cabinet Office have so far been abandoned since the formation of the new Government.

Departmental Motor Vehicles

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the expenditure on vehicles of  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which his Department is responsible in each region of England was in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is in each case for 2010-11.

Francis Maude: The information is as follows:
	 (a) The Department's annual expenditure on vehicles purchased via the Department's travel contracts for the last three financial years is detailed as follows:
	
		
			  Financial year  Expenditure (£) 
			 2007-08 47,274 
			 2008-09 27,626 
			 2009-10 17,834 
		
	
	Figures for any vehicle expenditure that may have been purchased by officials using the Government Procurement Card or claimed back on expenses are not readily available and may not be obtained without incurring disproportionate costs.
	 (b) (i) There has been no annual expenditure on vehicles in each of the last three financial years by the Cabinet Office's non-departmental public bodies.
	 (b) (ii) There has been no annual expenditure on vehicles in each of the last three financial years by the Cabinet Office's Executive agency.
	It is not possible to provide figures on planned expenditure for financial year 2010-11 as our vehicle expenditure is demand driven. It is Cabinet Office policy to reduce the amount of travel by questioning the need to travel and make use of alternative provisions such as video conferencing.

Departmental Pensions

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost was of pension contributions incurred by  (a) his Department and  (b) each (i) non-departmental public body and (ii) executive agency for which he is responsible in each region of England in each of the last three financial years; and what the planned expenditure is for 2010-11.

Francis Maude: The cost of pension contributions incurred by the Cabinet Office in each of the last three financial years is published in the Cabinet Office resource accounts which are available on the Cabinet Office website at the following address
	www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk
	and detailed in the following table:
	
		
			  Financial year  Cost of pension contribution (£000) 
			 2007-08 11,803 
			 2008-09 11,675 
			 2009-10 11,993 
		
	
	The cost of planned expenditure for 2010-11 is not held centrally and would be available only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Rents

Michael Weir: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much was paid by his Department in rent for properties in  (a) total and  (b) each (i) region and (ii) nation of the UK in each of the last five years.

Francis Maude: Rent paid by the Cabinet Office in the last five years is as follows:
	
		
			  Expenditure 
			  £ 
			   Total rent expenditure  London-England (Region)  Warrington (Cheshire Region) England  Basingstoke (Hampshire Region) England 
			 2005-06 5,880,794 5,704,544 0 176,250 
			 2006-07 7,295,818 6,894,488 225,081 176,250 
			 2007-08 6,470,265 5,984,751 309,264 176,250 
			 2008-09 4,481,863 4,305,613 0 176,250 
			 2009-10 4,319,836 3,983,816 25,283 310,738 
		
	
	Over the last five years in question, the Cabinet Office has paid rent only in London, Warrington and Basingstoke.

Lone Parents: Employment

Caroline Flint: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many lone parents with children aged between  (a) five to 10 and  (b) 11 to 16 years have entered employment in (i) Don Valley constituency, (ii) Doncaster and (iii) England in each of the last five years.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated August 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your question asking how many lone parents with children aged between (a) five to 10 and (b) 11 to 16 years have entered employment in (i) Don Valley constituency, (ii) Doncaster and (iii) England in each of the last five years. 12699.
	Information about the number of parents entering employment is not available. However, the attached table shows the number of parents in employment for January to December 2004 to 2008, using the Annual Population Survey (APS) household datasets.
	The sample of the APS is not large enough to provide estimates for Doncaster local authority or Don Valley parliamentary constituency because of insufficient sample sizes.
	As with any sample survey, estimates from the APS are subject to a margin of uncertainty as different samples give different results. These estimates are such that there is 95 per cent certainty that from all samples possible they will lie within the lower and upper bounds.
	
		
			  Table 1: Lone parents( 1 ) in employment with children( 2)  aged (a) 5 -10 years arid (b) 11-16 years,  England 
			  Thousand 
			   Children aged 5-10  Children aged 11-16 
			   Estimate  Lower bound( 3)  Upper bound( 3)  Estimate  Lower bound( 3)  Upper bound( 3) 
			 January to December 2004 286 271 300 304 289 319 
			 January to December 2005 292 278 306 322 306 337 
			 January to December 2006 285 271 300 329 312 345 
			 January to December 2007 267 253 281 337 320 353 
			 January to December 2008 280 266 295 337 321 353 
			 (1 )Men aged 16 to 64 and women aged 16 to 59. (2) Dependent children are under 16 and those aged 16 to 18 who are never-married and in full-time education. (3) 95% confidence interval which means that from all samples possible there would be 95% certainty that the true estimate would lie within the lower and upper bounds.  Source: APS household dataset

NDPBs

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many public bodies there were in England  (a) in 1979,  (b) in 1997 and  (c) on the latest date for which information is available.

Francis Maude: Figures for the number of non-departmental public bodies have been published annually by Cabinet Office in "Public Bodies" since 1980. Copies are available from the Libraries of the House. Recent editions are also available at:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/ndpb

Teenage Pregnancy: Rhondda Cynon Taff

Chris Bryant: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many live births per thousand teenage girls there were in Rhondda constituency in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent Parliamentary Question asking how many live births per thousand teenage girls there were in Rhondda constituency in the most recent year for which figures arc available. (012589)
	There were 44.1 live births to women aged under 20 per thousand women aged 15-19 in Rhondda parliamentary constituency in 2O081 (the most recent year available).
	(1) Based on usual residence of the mother and date of occurrence of the birth.

Unemployed People: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many children were living in workless households in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2010.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. .
	 Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated August 2010:
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, 1 have been asked to reply to your question asking how many children were living in workless households in Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency in  (a) 2005,  (b) 2007 and  (c) 2010. (12541)
	The requested information is not available. It is not possible to provide estimates for Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency because of insufficient sample sizes.

Voluntary Organisations: Vetting

David Mowat: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will take steps to ensure that adult volunteers are not deterred from working with children by criminal record checking procedures; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Hurd: The Government have committed to reviewing the criminal records regime to scale it back to common sense levels. The terms of reference of this review will be published in due course. The Office for Civil Society will be working closely with the Home Office on this review to ensure that the impact on volunteering is taken into account.

Wines

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much his Department spent on wine in each year since 1997.

Francis Maude: The information requested is not held centrally and therefore is available only at disproportionate cost. Any expenditure on wine is made in accordance with published departmental guidance on financial procedures and propriety, based on principles set out in "Managing Public Money" and the Treasury handbook on "Regularity and Propriety".

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefits: Kent

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many people in  (a) Chatham and Aylesford constituency and  (b) Medway have received employment and support allowance in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many people in  (a) Chatham and Aylesford constituency and  (b) Medway have received incapacity benefit in each of the last five years;
	(3)  how many people in  (a) Chatham and Aylesford constituency and  (b) Medway have received disability living allowance in each of the last five years.

Maria Miller: The information can be found in the following tables.
	
		
			  Chatham and Aylesford constituency: February 2006-09 (May 2005 boundaries) and February 2010 (May 2010 boundaries( 1) ) 
			   February 2006  February 2007  February 2008  February 2009  February 2010 
			 Employment and support allowance n/a n/a n/a 300 790 
			 Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance 3,160 3,150 3,290 3,220 2,910 
			 Disability living allowance 3,640 3,760 3,980 4,350 4,600 
		
	
	
		
			  Medway local authority: February 2006-10 
			   February 2006  February 2007  February 2008  February 2009  February 2010 
			 Employment and Support Allowance n/a n/a n/a 730 2,020 
			 Incapacity Benefit/Severe Disablement Allowance 8,900 8,830 9,190 8,770 7,680 
			 Disability Living Allowance 9,840 10,290 10,870 11,730 12,560 
			 n/a = Not available. (1) Constituencies used for February 2010 are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010. Prior to this, the constituencies used are for May 2005.  Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment and support allowance from October 2008. 3. Incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance volumes include people in receipt of benefit and also those who fail the contribution conditions but receive a national insurance credit. 4. Volumes for disability living allowance show the number of people in receipt of an allowance and exclude people where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital.  Source: DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data.

Child Support Agency

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases the Child Support Agency recorded intercession by an hon. Member in 2009-10.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions in how many cases the Child Support Agency recorded intercession by an hon. Member in 2009-10.
	We tried to contact your office to clarify your request but we were advised that you were unavailable for most of the day so we have interpreted the question as being the volume of correspondence received by the Commission from MPs in 2009-10.
	In the year to March 2010 the Commission received 16,500 pieces of correspondence from MPs. This includes both case-specific and general correspondence received in writing and through the MP hotline. Multiple correspondence may be received for a single complaint.
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Employment and Support Allowance

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) average and  (b) total cost was to his Department of processing new claims for employment and support allowance in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: Published information and statistics for ESA claims and work capability assessments is available on the Department's website:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/
	The latest audited and publicly available financial information for Jobcentre Plus is in the annual report and accounts for 2009-10. These cover the period from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010.
	The average and total costs to Jobcentre Plus of processing new claims for ESA in 2009-10 are shown in the following table:
	
		
			  ESA new claims, 2009-10 
			 Total cost (£ million) 28 
			 Average cost (£) 41 
			  Source:  Jobcentre Plus Activity Based Management system.

Employment and Support Allowance

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) average and  (b) total cost was to his Department of work reconsidering claims for employment and support allowance that were initially rejected by it in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Maria Miller: It is not possible to provide the costs specifically for reconsideration of the decisions made on these claims as this level of information is not captured.
	Published information and statistics for ESA claims and work capability assessments is available on the Department's website:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/

Employment and Support Allowance

David Anderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the  (a) average and  (b) total cost to his Department of cases involving appeals against its decisions to refuse claims for employment and support allowance was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: Published information and statistics for ESA claims and work capability assessments is available on the Department's website:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/
	Jobcentre Plus, an agency of the Department for Work and Pensions, is responsible for an element of the ESA appeal process. The rest is handled by the Tribunal Service.
	The latest audited and publicly available financial information for Jobcentre Plus is in the annual report and accounts for 2009-10. These cover the period from 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010. Jobcentre Plus does not hold information on the costs incurred by the Tribunal Service therefore we cannot provide the total cost of an appeal. However, the average and total costs to Jobcentre Plus of processing an ESA appeal in 2009-10 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  2009-10  ESA appeals 
			 Total cost (£ million) 6 
			 Average cost (£) 50 
			  Source:  Jobcentre Plus Activity Based Management system.

Employment and Support Allowance: Appeals

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the time taken was from submission of an appeal against a failed employment support allowance claim to its decision in the latest period for which figures are available.

Maria Miller: Departmental data sources allow us to measure the time from the date the original decision was made by Jobcentre Plus to the date of the appeal hearing. Our latest estimates are that the average time from the original decision to the appeal hearing with the Tribunals Service is six months.
	Customers have up to one month to appeal a decision. This period is included in the six month figure.
	Average times are subject to change due to the volume of appeals awaiting a hearing.

Flexible Working

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department plans to take to extend parental rights in the workplace in the form of flexible hour agreements for those parents with children under the age of 16 years.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are committed to extending the right to request flexible working to all employees, consulting with business on how best to do so. Parents of children under 17, or under 18 if the child is disabled, as well as carers of certain adults, already have the right to request flexible working, to help them balance their work and caring responsibilities. Extending this right to all employees, will encourage more employees and employers to benefit from the flexible working, and make making a request more commonplace, removing the stigma attached to making a request.
	I will launch a consultation on the extension to the right to request flexible working later in the year.

Housing Benefit

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households receive housing benefit of more than £400 a week at the five-bedroom rate.

Steve Webb: The Department published a document on 'Impacts of Housing Benefit Proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be Introduced in 2011-12' on 23 July 2010. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the letter to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Kilburn from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 16 August 2010, paragraph 5, on proposed changes to housing benefit, when he expects to publish the economic impact assessment; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: The Department will publish a full impact assessment for the 2011-12 changes to the local housing allowance arrangements when it lays the relevant legislation in November 2010.

Housing Benefit

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will conduct an impact assessment on the proposed changes to housing benefit and local housing allowance on the basis of socio-economic class.

Steve Webb: The Department published a document on 'Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12' and a separate equality impact assessment on 23 July. A copy of the documents has been placed in the Library.
	The Department will publish a full impact assessment for the 2011-12 changes to the local housing allowance arrangements when it lays the relevant legislation in November 2010.
	There are no plans to assess the impacts of the proposed changes to housing benefit on the basis of socio-economic class.

Housing Benefit: Glasgow

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what recent discussions he has had with  (a) housing associations in Glasgow and  (b) tenants in social sector housing in Glasgow on the Government's proposals on housing benefit.

Steve Webb: We have had preliminary discussions with the Scottish Government and key stakeholders on the changes to housing benefit affecting the social rented sector and will publish our proposals and associated impact assessments in due course.

Housing Benefit: Impact Assessments

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions when his Department plans to publish an impact assessment on proposed reductions in housing benefit; and what impacts will be assessed.

Steve Webb: The Department published a document on 'Impacts of Housing Benefit Proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be Introduced in 2011-12' and a separate Equality Impact Assessment on 23 July. A copy of the documents has been placed in the Library.
	The Department will publish a full impact assessment for the 2011-12 changes to the local housing allowance arrangements when it lays the relevant legislation in November 2010.

Housing Benefit: Jobseeker's Allowance

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Sunderland in receipt of housing benefit have also been receiving jobseeker's allowance for more than 12 months at the latest date for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: The information requested is not available.
	From February 2007, DWP has been collecting more detailed housing benefit and council tax benefit data electronically from local authorities. Over time this will improve the accuracy, timeliness and level of detail available in the published statistics, as the information supplied is quality assured.
	At present, the management information needed to estimate durations on housing benefit has not been sufficiently quality assured; and, while information is collected on the number of claimants in receipt of a passported benefit, which includes income-based jobseeker's allowance, the total number of jobseeker's allowance claimants receiving housing benefit is not available.
	Housing benefit case load and average weekly amounts are available at local authority area level and these are published on the Department's website at:
	http://www.dwp.gov.uk

Housing Benefit: Local Housing Allowance

Glenda Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many households in the London Borough of  (a) Camden and  (b) Brent he estimates will move home as a result of the proposed (i) housing benefit caps and (ii) reductions in the level of local housing allowance;
	(2)  with reference to the letter to the hon. Member for Hampstead and Kilburn from the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State of 16 August 2010, which outer London boroughs may have an increased number of new housing benefit customers as a result of the proposed changes in housing benefit and local housing allowance; and what estimate he has made of the likely increase in numbers of claimants in those boroughs.

Steve Webb: The Department has published estimates of the number of households that will be affected by the changes we are making to local housing allowance rates in 2011-12. However, it is not possible to estimate the number of households that will move as a consequence of the changes.
	A copy of the document "Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12" has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit: Scotland

Margaret Curran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households receive housing benefit of more than  (a) £250 per week for a one bedroom property,  (b) £290 per week for a two bedroom property,  (c) £340 per week for a three bedroom property and  (d) £400 per week for a four bedroom property in (i) Scotland, (ii) Glasgow and (iii) Glasgow East constituency.

Steve Webb: This information is not available at constituency level.
	The Department published a document on 'Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12' on 23 July 2010, which includes analysis at the local authority and regional level. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit: Scotland

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households receive housing benefit of more than  (a) £250 per week for a one bedroom property,  (b) £290 per week for a two bedroom property,  (c) £340 per week for a three bedroom property and  (d) £400 per week for a four bedroom property in (i) Scotland, (ii) Glasgow and (iii) Glasgow North West constituency.

Steve Webb: This information is not available at constituency level.
	The Department published a document on "Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12" on the 23 July 2010, which includes analysis at the local authority and regional level. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

Housing Benefit: Warwickshire

Dan Byles: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in  (a) Warwickshire county,  (b) North Warwickshire borough and  (c) Nuneaton and Bedworth borough were in receipt of housing benefit of more than £400 a month in the latest period for which figures are available.

Steve Webb: At May 2010, for housing benefit claims assessed under the local housing allowance arrangements, our records show that:
	 (a) In Warwickshire County there were 3,560 households receiving over £400 per month;
	 (b) In North Warwickshire borough council there were 370 households receiving over £400 per month;
	 (c) In Nuneaton and Bedworth borough council there were 970 households receiving over £400 per month.
	The Coalition Government emergency Budget announced a cap on the local housing allowance rates of £400 per week (around £1,733 per month). There are no households in Warwickshire County in receipt of housing benefit of over £400 per week.
	 Note:
	All figures have been rounded to the nearest 10 recipients.
	 Source:
	Single Housing Benefit Extract for May 2010.

Housing Benefit: Wolverhampton

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in  (a) Wolverhampton North East constituency and  (b) Wolverhampton who would be affected by implementation of proposed changes to housing benefit; and whether he has made an estimate of the average change in housing benefit payments to such people under his Department's proposals.

Steve Webb: The information is not available at the constituency level.
	The Department published a document on 'Impacts of Housing Benefit Proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be Introduced in 2011-12' on 23 July, which includes analysis at the local authority level. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

Local Housing Allowance

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the percentage of households affected by the reductions to local housing allowance that will receive additional discretionary housing payments from 2011-12.

Steve Webb: The Department published a document on 'Impacts of Housing Benefit proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be introduced in 2011-12' on 23 July, which includes analysis at the local authority and regional level. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.
	While the Department makes a contribution to local authorities' discretionary housing payment budgets, the decision on whether to award a payment in an individual case is a matter for the local authority.

Local Housing Allowance: Hyndburn

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households in Hyndburn will be affected by the changes in calculating local housing allowance using the 30th percentile rent instead of the median.

Steve Webb: The Department published a document on 'Impacts of Housing Benefit Proposals: Changes to the Local Housing Allowance to be Introduced in 2011-12' on 23 July 2010, which includes analysis at the local authority level. A copy of the document has been placed in the Library.

Low Incomes: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many households with below average income there were in Peterborough constituency in each year since 2005.

Steve Webb: Analysis of the UK income distribution is published in the households below average income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	As they are based on survey data, estimates published in HBAI only allow breakdowns to Government office region and analysis by parliamentary constituency is not possible. However, figures for east of England are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of households in the eastern Government office region that had incomes below the median income from 2005 
			  Number (million) 
			  Period  Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			 2005-06 to 2007-08 1.1 1.1 
			 2006-07 to 2008-09 1.1 1.1 
			  Notes:  1. These statistics are based on households below average income data which are sourced from the Family Resources Survey. Both of these are available in the Library.  2. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response.  3. The reference period for household below average income figures is single financial years. Three survey years have been combined as regional single year estimates are subject to volatility.  4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication "Households Below Average Income" (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living.  5. For the HBAI series, incomes have been equivalised using organisation for economic co-operation and development (OECD) modified equivalisation factors.  6. Figures have been presented on both a before housing cost and after housing cost basis. For before housing cost, housing costs (such as rent, water rates, mortgage interest payments, structural insurance payments and ground rent and service charges) are not deducted from income, while for after housing cost they are. This means that after housing cost incomes will generally be lower than before housing cost.  7. Numbers of households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000 households.  Source:  Households Below Average Income, DWP.

Maternity Benefits: Wolverhampton

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many Sure Start maternity grants were made to mothers for their second or subsequent child in Wolverhampton North East constituency in 2009-10.

Steve Webb: A total of 274,000 sure start maternity grants were awarded in Great Britain in 2009-10. The exact number of awards for a second or subsequent maternity is not available, but is estimated to be 52% of all awards, around 143,000.
	The number of awards made in 2009-10 is available by Government office region or Jobcentre Plus Social Fund budget area only, not by constituency.
	 Note:
	Both numbers have been rounded to the nearest 1,000.
	 Source for total number of awards:
	Department for Work and Pensions Social Fund Policy, Budget and Management Information System.

Parental Leave

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department plans to make maternity and paternity leave more flexible.

Edward Davey: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government are committed to encouraging shared parenting from the earliest stage of pregnancy-including the promotion of a system of flexible parental leave. The current maternity and paternity leave system favours mothers, who receive 52 weeks leave and 39 weeks pay. Fathers have only two weeks paid leave reserved for them.
	I will launch a consultation on shared parental leave later in the year-including how to give more flexibility to parents.

Pensioners: Cost of Living

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice his Department has received from the Office of National Statistics on use of the  (a) consumer prices index and  (b) retail price index to measure changes to the cost of living of pensioners.

Steve Webb: The Department made use of a range of information provided by the Office of National Statistics regarding price inflation indices, including the Consumer Prices Index Technical Manual 2010 and other related documents.

Pensioners: Wolverhampton

Emma Reynolds: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in Wolverhampton North East constituency are over state retirement pension age; and how many receive  (a) basic state pension and  (b) pension credit.

Steve Webb: The information requested for those in Wolverhampton North East constituency who are over state pension age is not available. However, the document "Caseloads for selected benefits by 2010 Parliamentary Constituencies, February 2010" is available in the Library and includes figures for pension credit and state pension.

Pensions: Uprating

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what effect the inclusion of housing costs in the consumer prices index will have on the methodology used by his Department to up-rate pensions payments.

Steve Webb: In his letter to the Governor of the Bank of England of 18 May 2010, the Chancellor of the Exchequer expressed interest in the inclusion of housing costs in the CPI measure used by the Bank of England as their inflation target. Whether and how housing costs will be included in CPI is still under consideration. We will consider what effect any such measure would have, if any, once further information is available.

Poverty: Children

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children were living in poverty  (a) before housing costs and  (b) after housing costs in Gateshead constituency in each year since 2000.

Maria Miller: Estimates of the number and proportion of children living in poverty are published in the Households Below Average Income (HBAI) series. HBAI uses household income adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, to provide a proxy for standard of living.
	As they are based on survey data, child poverty estimates published in HBAI only allow breakdowns to Government Office Region and analysis by parliamentary constituency is not possible. However, figures for the North East of England are set out in Table 1.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number and percentage of children living in households with less than 60% of contemporary median household income for the North East of England, before housing costs and after housing costs 
			   Before housing costs  After housing costs 
			  Period  Number (m illion )  Percentage  Number (m illion )  Percentage 
			 2000-01 to 2002-03 0.2 32 0.2 36 
			 2001-02 to 2003-04 0.2 30 0.2 33 
			 2002-03 to 2004-05 0.2 31 0.2 34 
			 2003-04 to 2005-06 0.2 28 0.2 32 
			 2004-05 to 2006-07 0.2 28 0.2 33 
			 2005-06 to 2007-08 0.1 28 0.2 33 
			 2006-07 to 2008-09 0.1 28 0.2 34 
			  Notes: 1. These statistics are based on the Households Below Average Income series, sourced from the Family Resources Survey. 2. All estimates are based on survey data and are therefore subject to uncertainty. Small differences should be treated with caution as these will be affected by sampling error and variability in non-response. 3. The reference period for Households Below Average Income figures are single financial years. Three survey years have been combined as regional single year estimates are subject to volatility. 4. The income measures used to derive the estimates shown employ the same methodology as the Department for Work and Pensions publication 'Households Below Average Income' (HBAI) series, which uses disposable household income, adjusted (or 'equivalised') for household size and composition, as an income measure as a proxy for standard of living. 5. For the Households Below Average Income series, incomes have been equivalised using Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) modified equivalisation factors. 6. Numbers of adults and children in low-income households have been rounded to the nearest 100,000, while proportions have been rounded to the nearest percentage point.  Source: Households Below Average Income, DWP

Poverty: Children

Fiona O'Donnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he is taking to meet the targets for reducing child poverty included in the Child Poverty Act 2010.

Maria Miller: Section 14 of the coalition document confirms the Government's commitment to ending child poverty in the UK. We believe that the best way to tackle this issue is to address the root causes of poverty, because it is only by doing this that we can improve outcomes for children in the most effective way. By spring next year we will consult on and publish a robust, sustainable strategy to end child poverty by 2020 as required by the Child Poverty Act.

Social Security Benefits

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice he has received on the legality of using the consumer prices index as the measure of the general level of prices under section 150 (2) of the Social Security Act 1992.

Steve Webb: Advice was taken on the legality of using the Consumer Prices Index as the measure of the general level of prices, in the context of the Secretary of State's statutory duty under section 150 of the Social Security Administration Act 1992. As with all legal advice to the Government, this is confidential and covered by legal professional privilege, and so will not be divulged.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the cost was of first-tier appeal hearings on benefit decisions between April 2009 and March 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: I have been asked to reply.
	The total cost for running the first-tier tribunal-social security and child support in 2009-10, including overheads, was £78,216,000.

Social Security Benefits: Appeals

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many and what proportion of claimants of  (a) employment and support allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) disability living allowance who were found to be capable of work appealed against that decision in the latest period for which figures are available; and how many in each case had their appeal granted.

Maria Miller: Of people who made a claim for ESA between October 2008 and June 2009 and who were found fit for work at assessment, 52,800 (32%) have had an appeal heard by Tribunals Service to date. The appeal was granted for 31,600 (40%) of these cases.
	The Department does not have figures for the number of cases appealed but not yet heard by the Tribunal Service. Due to the time it takes for appeals to be submitted to the Tribunals Service and heard, it is likely that there are more appeals that have not yet been heard, particularly for the most recent cohorts of ESA claims. These figures should continue to be treated as emerging findings and not final at this stage.
	The Department publishes tables showing the number of appeals and decisions relating to ESA claims on our website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/esa_wca/esa_wca_27072010.pdf
	The equivalent information for incapacity benefit appeals is not available.
	Disability living allowance is not a work-related benefit and is not awarded on the basis of work-related capability. With regard to all appeals against a decision not to award DLA, 21,000 appeals were granted in the customer's favour in 2009-10.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what target timescale his Department has set for processing decisions on benefit entitlements for those claiming  (a) disability living allowance and  (b) attendance allowance.

Maria Miller: The Department's targets for disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance (AA) new claims are called average actual clearance times (AACT). They measure the average number of working days taken to process new claims within the reporting year and are set each financial year.
	The target timescales for processing decisions are shown in the following tables:
	
		
			  (a) The AACT target and performance achieved for DLA new claims from 2007-08 to August 2010 
			   Days 
			   Target  Annual performance 
			 2007-08 year end 38 36.0 
			 2008-09 year end 38 29.8 
			 2009-10 year end 38 33.8 
			 2010-10 August 37.7 (1)33.3 
		
	
	
		
			  (b) The AACT target and performance achieved for AA new claims from 2007-08 to August 2010 
			   Days 
			   Target  Annual performance 
			 2007-08 year end 18 15.2 
			 2008-09 year end 16 12.3 
			 2009-10 year end 16 14.3 
			 2010-10 August 16 (1)14.6 
			 (1 )Year to date.   Source:  Department for Work and Pensions: RDA/RAA80123 reports-DLA/AA Management Information Statistics.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what target timescale his Department has set for processing decisions on claims for  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) attendance allowance and  (c) other benefit entitlements for patients diagnosed with (i) terminal and (ii) non-terminal cancer.

Maria Miller: Customers who have been diagnosed with terminal cancer can make a claim for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) under Special Rules (SR). A claim can be considered under the SR if it is made expressly on the grounds that the person named on the claim form is a terminally ill person. For the purpose of SR, a person is terminally ill if they have a progressive disease and their death in consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected within six months.
	SR new claims are dealt with quickly and sensitively and with a minimum of delay. Consequently the internal target timescales for clearing SR new claims are not the same as a new claim. The Departments targets for DLA and AA SR new claims are called Average Actual Clearance Times (AACT). They measure the average number of working days taken to process SR new claims within the reporting year.
	The target timescales for processing decisions are in the following tables:
	 (a) the AACT target and performance achieved for DLA SR new claims from 2007-08 to August 2010.
	
		
			  DLA SR new claims  Target (days)  Annual performance (days) 
			 2007-08 8 6.0 
			 2008-09 8 5.9 
			 2009-10 8 6.7 
			 2010-10(1) 8 (2)6.0 days 
			 (1) August (2) Year to date 
		
	
	 (b) the AACT target and performance achieved for AA SR new claims from 200708 to August 2010.
	
		
			  AA SR new claims  Target (days)  Annual performance (days) 
			 2007-08 8 4.5 
			 2008-09 8 4.6 
			 2009-10 8 4.9 
			 2010-10(1) 8 (2)4.4 
			 1 August (2) Year to date  Source:  Department for Work and Pensions - RDA/RAA80123 reports - DLA/AA  Management Information Statistics 
		
	
	Processing timescales for non-terminal cancer patients claiming DLA and AA are the same as for other applicants to those benefits. The target timescales for processing new claim decisions are in the following tables:
	
		
			  DLA new claims  Target (days)  Annual performance (days) 
			 2007-08 38 36.0 
			 2008-09 38 29.8 
			 2009-10 38 33.8 
			 2010-10(1) 37.7 (2)33.3 
			 (1) August (2) Year to date 
		
	
	
		
			  AA new claims  Target (days)  Annual performance (days) 
			 2007-08 18 15.2 
			 2008-09 16 12.3 
			 2009-10 16 14.3 
			 2010-10(1) 16 (2)14.6 days 
			 (1) August (2) Year to date  Source:  Department for Work and Pensions-RDA/RAA80123 reports-DLA/AA Management Information Statistics 
		
	
	Customers diagnosed with terminal or non-terminal cancer are entitled to the full range of benefits depending on their circumstances. In particular if a customer has terminal cancer they can claim Employment Support Allowance (ESA) under the Special Rules (SR). A customer who claims under the SR is terminally ill and not expected to live for more than six months. Awards of Employment and Support Allowance are made on the basis of medical certificates from a GP. Customers with a terminal illness are not required to have a full medical examination for a work capability assessment. Following the benefit claim immediate advice is sought from Atos Healthcare to confirm that SR applies. In August 2010 replies were received in 0.8 days within the two day AACT.
	The target timescales for processing ESA decisions are in the following table:
	
		
			  ESA claims  Target (days)  In month performance (days) 
			 2010-10 April 14 10.8 
			 2010-10 May 14 10.8 
			 2010-10 June 14 10.7 
			 2010-10 July 14 10.6 
			  Sources:  Department for Work and Pensions- Management Information System Programme (MISP) and ESA Medical Services Contract Management Team Management Information Statistics 
		
	
	Processing timescales for non-terminal cancer patients claiming other benefits are the same as for other applicants to those benefits.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether his Department plans to increase the speed at which claims for disability living allowance and attendance allowance for those diagnosed with non-terminal cancer are processed.

Maria Miller: Customers who have been diagnosed with non-terminal cancer would have their claims processed under normal rules for new claims. This is because customers with non-terminal cancer would be treated the same as for other applicants to disability living allowance and attendance allowance (they would not be treated under the special rules).
	The Department's targets for disability living allowance (DLA) and attendance allowance (AA) new claims are called average actual clearance times (AACT). They measure the average number of working days taken to process new claims within the reporting year and are set each financial year.
	The target time scales for processing decisions are in the following tables:
	
		
			  AACT target and performance achieved for DLA new claims from 2007-08 to August 2010 
			  Days 
			  DLA new claims  Target  Annual performance 
			 2007-08 year end 38 36.0 
			 2008-09 year end 38 29.8 
			 2009-10 year end 38 33.8 
			 2010-10 August 37.7 (1)33.3 
			 (1) Year to date 
		
	
	
		
			  AACT target and performance achieved for AA new claims from 2007-08 to August 2010 
			  Days 
			  AA new claims  Target  Annual performance 
			 2007-08 year end 18 15.2 
			 2008-09 year end 16 12.3 
			 2009-10 year end 16 14.3 
			 2010-10 August 16 (1)14.6 
			 (1) Year to date 
		
	
	PDCS is currently pursuing a LEAN programme and is seeking opportunities to exploit further efficiencies in our processing capability, however, there are no current plans to review these targets.
	 Source:
	Department for Work and Pensions-RDA/RAA80123 reports-DLA/AA Management Information Statistics.

Social Security Benefits: Gateshead

Ian Mearns: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people resident in Gateshead constituency are in receipt of  (a) disability living allowance,  (b) incapacity benefit and  (c) employment and support allowance.

Maria Miller: The information is as follows:
	
		
			  Gateshead parliamentary constituency 
			   Number of recipients 
			 ESA 1,410 
			 IB/SDA 5,530 
			 DLA 7,080 
			  Notes:  1. Incapacity benefit was replaced by employment support allowance (ESA) from October 2008.  2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, some additional disclosure has been applied.  3. Caseload for DLA show the number of people in receipt of an allowance, and exclude people with entitlement where the payment has been suspended, for example if they are in hospital.  4. Constituencies used are for the Westminster Parliament of May 2010.  Source:  DWP Information Directorate Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data.

State Retirement Pensions and Pension Credit: Gloucester

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners in Gloucester  (a) receive the basic state pension,  (b) receive pension credit and  (c) are eligible for pension credit but do not claim it.

Steve Webb: The document "Caseloads for selected benefits by 2010 Parliamentary Constituencies February 2010" is available in the Library and includes figures for pension credit and state pension.
	Estimates of eligibility and therefore those who are entitled to pension credit but have not claimed it are not available below the level of Great Britain.
	The latest estimates of the take-up rates and the number of those entitled but not receiving Pension Credit are published in the report "Income Related Benefits Estimates of Take-up in 2008-09".

Winter Fuel Payments: British Nationals Abroad

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans he has for the future of the payment of winter fuel allowance to people residing abroad; and if he will make a statement.

Steve Webb: Winter fuel payments are paid to former UK residents living in the European Economic area only if they qualified for a payment before leaving the UK.
	European Union law means that some benefits acquired in one member state must be paid to people when they move to another country within the European Economic area.

JUSTICE

Asylum: Appeals

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate has been made of the effect on the number of appeals in  (a) asylum cases and  (b) immigration cases of changes to the tendering process for immigration legal aid.

Jonathan Djanogly: The means and merits test for legal aid has not altered as a result of the tendering process and there is not therefore expected to be any impact on appeals in either asylum or immigration cases as the LSC considers that sufficient access to services remains in place.

Community Orders

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the powers of review of community orders under section 178 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003 in increasing the accountability of offenders.

Crispin Blunt: There has been no assessment of the effectiveness of the powers of review of community orders under section 178 of the Criminal Justice Act 2003, separate to wider evaluations of community justice pilots at North Liverpool and Salford. There are four published reports evaluating the Community Justice Initiatives in Salford and North Liverpool. They are:
	 Process Evaluation of Salford Community Justice Initiative (2007) at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/1111.htm
	 Evaluation of North Liverpool Community Justice Centre (2007) at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/research291007c.htm
	 North Liverpool Community Justice Centre-Surveys of local residents (2007) at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/research291007b.htm
	 Initial evaluation of reconviction rates in community justice initiatives (2009) at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reconviction-community-justice.htm

Convictions: Tyres

Tristram Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many convictions relating to motor vehicle tyre condition there have been in each of the last 10 years.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants found guilty at all courts for the offence defective tyres, England and Wales 1999 to 2008 (latest available) can be found in the table as follows.
	Data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010.
	
		
			  The number of defendants found guilty( 1,2 ) at all courts for the offence defective tyres, England and Wales 1999 to 2008( 3,4) 
			   Found guilty 
			 1999 8,432 
			 2000 6,227 
			 2001 4,823 
			 2002 4,249 
			 2003 3,893 
			 2004 4,250 
			 2005 3,940 
			 2006 3,595 
			 2007 3,774 
			 2008(3) 4,317 
			 1 The figures given in the table on court proceedings relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences it Is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. 2 Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. (3) Excludes data for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. (4) Includes the following statute and corresponding offence description: Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 RR.25-27 Road Traffic Act 1988 S.41A as added by Road Traffic Act 1991 S.8  Source:  Justice Statistics Analytical Services - Ministry of Justice.

Courts: Manpower

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment has been made of the effectiveness of the use of court co-ordinators in the criminal justice system.

Crispin Blunt: Community Justice was piloted in 12 magistrates courts across England and Wales. The court co-ordinator was one aspect only piloted at the Salford Community Justice Initiative, which ceased sitting in 2008. Since then, learning from Salford and the other 12 courts has been used to introduce sustainable mechanisms to achieve similar objectives in other courts, without incurring the costs of appointing dedicated co-ordinators.

Courts: Video Conferencing

Rehman Chishti: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice if he will (a) make greater use of existing video-conferencing facilities in courts and  (b) reduce the number of times that defendants attend preliminary hearings.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Government strongly support the use of video links technology where it is appropriate to do so and encourages courts to look to increase its use wherever possible. Revised guidance was issued to the courts in August 2010 with a primary focus to increase utilisation of video link equipment across the courts estate by highlighting best practice and inviting courts and local prisons to set up 'Partnership Agreements' to enable greater use. In addition I have asked my officials to look more generally at how wider use of video and telephone links, where appropriate, might improve the public's experience and the operation of the justice system.
	Much has been done in recent years to reduce unnecessary court hearings particularly in the magistrates courts where the number of hearings has fallen from estimated average number of 3.02 hearings per defendant (March 2007) to 2.19 hearings in June 2010 (Time Interval Survey, June 2010). However where a hearing is necessary we support the use of video links in appropriate cases wherever possible.

Dead Bodies

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many 104 removal of body notice forms have been issued in the London borough of Waltham Forest since 2000; and how many of those were issued within four days of request.

Jonathan Djanogly: This information is not held centrally. I have, however, made inquiries with the East London Coroner's office, who have advised that 2,045 removal of body notice forms have been issued since 2000. They have not been able to say how many of those were issued within four days of request. I will write to the hon. Member when I have any further information, and place copies in the Libraries of the House.

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department,  (b) its agencies and  (c) its non-departmental public bodies (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information is as follows.
	The timeliness of the Ministry of Justice's payments to suppliers for the latest available period (August 2010) is set out in the following table.
	
		
			   Within 30 days  Within 60 days  Within 90 days  Over 90 days  Total 
			 Core Department 3,338 128 46 14 3,526 
			 Agencies 64,473 2,889 591 647 68,600 
			 NDPBs 2,321 137 9 9 13,490 
			 Totals 70,132 3,154 646 670 73,475 
		
	
	This represents 94% of all payments made within 30 days.
	The Ministry measures its payment to suppliers against the five-day target applied to all Government Departments and performance against this target is published on the Ministry's website.

Departmental Consultants

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department and its predecessor spent on public consultations in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: My Department does not record the total costs of individual public consultations, for example, the costs of relevant staff time are not calculated and recorded as a consultation cost.
	However, some costs are recorded separately, including the printing of paper copies of consultation papers, the translation of consultation papers into Welsh and public engagement activities as part of the consultation process. These costs are provided in the following table for both my Department and its predecessor where they are available.
	
		
			  Department for Constitutional Affairs 
			  Consultation  Consultation  p eriod  Costs of consultation where known( 1)  (£) 
			  Consultations published in 2006   
			 Openness in the Family Courts - Confidence and Confidentiality:  http://www.dca.gov.uk/consult/courttransparencey1106/cp1106.htm 11 July to 30 October 28,000 
			 Legal Aid: A sustainable future (a joint consultation with the Legal Services Commission):  http://www.dca.gov.uk/consult/legal-aidsf/sustainable-future.htm 13 July to 12 October (2)23,500 
			 (1) The costs shown represent the non-staff costs such as consultation events, Welsh translations of documents and printing etc. (2) Matched by the Legal Services Commission. 
		
	
	
		
			  Ministry of Justice 
			  Consultation  Consultation period  Costs of consultation where known 
			  Consultations published in 2007   
			 Confidence and confidentiality: openness in family courts-a new approach:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/cp1007.htm 26 June to 1 October £14,000 
			 OCJR-Improving the criminal justice process for young witnesses 22 June to 19 October £2,000 
			 Governance of Britain: Judicial Appointments:   
			 http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/cp2507.htm 25 October to 17 January 2008 £15,000 
			 Governance of Britain-War Powers and Treaties: Limiting Executive Powers:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/cp2607.htm 25 October to 17 January 2008 £14,000 
			 Strategic plan for reducing reoffending 2008-11; Working in partnership to reduce reoffending and make communities safer:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/rr1107.htm 27 November 2007 to 22 February 2008 £75,000 
			 Believing we can (faith-based organisations and reducing reoffending):  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/bwc1107.htm 27 November 2007 to 22 February 2008 £10,000 
			 NOMS third sector action plan:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/news-publications-events/publications/consultations/BWC_third_sector_08/?view=Standard&pubID=510239 27 November 2007 to 22 February 2008 £20,000 plus £18,000 for joint consultation events for NOMS Believing we can and Third Sector Strategy 
			 MoJ Third Sector Strategy:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/cp3307.htm 20 December 2007 to 20 March 2008 £35,500 
			
			  Consultations published in 2008   
			 Local Authority Charges for Property Search Services:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/lacpss180108.htm 18 January to 18 April £12,000 
			 Best value in probation:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/cp0608.htm 9 April to 2 July £9,500 
			 Titan Prisons:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/cp1008.htm 5 June to 28 August £1,210 
			 Election Day-Weekend Voting:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/cp1308.htm 24 June to 26 September £6,153.95 
			 Murder, Manslaughter and Infanticide: Proposals for Reform of the Law:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/cp1908.htm 28 July to 20 October £10,254 
			 Rules for Mandatory Polygraph Tests for Sex Offenders:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/mandatory-polygraphy-consultation.htm 19 September to 21 November £300 
			 Reducing Re-Offending in London:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/consultation-reducing-reoffending-london.htm 8 October 2008 to 30 January 2009 £13,995.26 
			 Reviewing the Mental Capacity Act 2005: Forms Supervision and Fees:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/reviewing-mental-capacity-act.htm 23 October 2008 to 15 January 2009 £6,300 
			 Proposed Closure of Telford Hearing Centre:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/proposed-closure- telford-hearing-centre.htm 10 November 2008 to 8 February 2009 £643.69 
			
			  Consultations published in 2009   
			 Proposal for three Local Justice Areas instead of nine in Lincolnshire:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/three-local-iustice-areas-lincolnshire.htm 1 September to 30 November Postage costs of £27,072. 
			   Plus the Cost of Statutory Instrument (TSO) was £340. 
			
			 Defamation and the internet: the multiple publication rule:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/defamation-internet-consultation-paper.htm 16 September to 16 December Estimated printing costs £377.40 (£443.46 including VAT). 
			 Welsh language scheme/Cynllun laith Gymraeg:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/welsh-language-scheme.htm 9 November 2009 to 18 January 2010 Translation of Welsh Language Scheme and consultation-Translate amendments only-Cost £950 +VAT. 
			   Email re consultation £45.00 + VAT 
			
			 Electoral registers: proposed changes to the Edited Register:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/electoral-registers-consultation.htm 24 November to 23 February 2010 Welsh Language Translation £2,024.00. 
			 Review of fees for Lands Tribunal:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/lands-tribunal-fees.htm 2 December 2009 to 28 February 2010 Hard copies of the Consultation Document £1,221.13. 
			   Postage costs for sending out hard copies of documents-£150. (Total £1,371.13). 
			
			 Civil Law Reform Bill:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/civil-law-reform-bill.htm 15 December 2009 to 9 February 2010 Welsh Language translation of main body of the paper-£800 (£920 including VAT). 
			   Estimated printing costs £754.80 (£886.89 including VAT). 
			
			 Mortgages: power of sale and residential property:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/mortgages-power-sale.htm 29 December 2009 to 28 March 2010 Welsh Language translation-£1,160 (£1,334 including VAT). 
			   Estimated printing costs £377.40 (£443.46 including VAT). 
			  Consultations published in 2010   
			 Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committees on Justices of the Peace:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/latest-updates/lord-chancellor-advisorv-ips.htm 23 February to 18 May 2010 Costs-Translation (Welsh ) for consultation document £564; 
			   for Response (£564) total-£1,128. 
			
			 Trusts (Capital and Income) Bill:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/latest-updates/lord-chancellor-advisory-jps.htm 22 March to 14 June Welsh Translation: Summary-Translate whole document-Cost £94.00 including VAT. 
			   Consultation paper-Capital and Income Bill-Translate whole document-Cost £480 + VAT. 
			
			 Her Majesty's Court Service published 16 consultations on changes to the HMCS estate 2010 16 consultations in 2010-please refer to the MoJ website at:  http://www.justice.gov.uk/consultations/consultations.htm We are unable to break down the costs for each individual consultation but the total cost of printing hard copies of the consultation papers came to £4,793.64.

Departmental Consultants

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the  (a) average and  (b) highest daily rate paid to consultants by his Department was in each of the last five years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice (MOJ) came into existence in May 2007, encompassing the former Department for Constitutional Affairs and part of the Home Office. This means comprehensive figures are only available for the last three financial years.
	Consultants and contractors are only used when there is a compelling business need to do so. They are used to provide specialist skills and expertise for a limited period of time where in-house skills are not available. The average and highest daily rate paid to consultants in the last three financial years are detailed in the table as follows:
	
		
			   Average day rate (£)  Highest day rate (£) 
			 2007-08 665 (1)- 
			 2008-09 659 (2)- 
			 2009-10 590 (3)- 
			 (1) £1,500 per day to three individual consultants for 632 days in total (2) £2,000 per day to two individual consultants for 11 days in total (3) £1,700 per day to one consultant for 13 days in total

Departmental Furniture

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many chairs his Department and its predecessors purchased in each year since 1997; how much was spent in each such year; and what the five most expensive chairs purchased in each such year were.

Crispin Blunt: Expenditure on chairs is not recorded separately from expenditure on the wider cost category of "furniture and fittings".
	Prior to late 2009, the Ministry of Justice and its executive agencies (Her Majesty's Courts Service, Tribunals Service, the Office of the Public Guardian and the National Offenders Management Service (NOMS) held contracts for the provision of furniture with several suppliers for which complete data is no longer available.
	Since late 2009 it has been departmental policy to purchase furniture in-house from Prison Industries wherever possible.
	It would incur disproportionate costs to examine invoices held locally to identify expenditure incurred specifically on chairs, including expenditure on the five most expensive chairs.

Departmental ICT

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice which IT contracts awarded by his Department in each year since its inception have been abandoned; and what the monetary value of each such contract was.

Jonathan Djanogly: In the context of this answer, IT contracts are interpreted as contracts relating to ICT-related projects or programmes, business change projects or to projects where ICT is a key element in delivering a service or outcome.
	As part of the coalition Government programme and the ICT moratorium, the Department has reviewed all existing ICT projects to assess whether they should be closed, continued or re-scoped, and we are awaiting the results of this review.
	Outside of this review, no ICT contracts have been cancelled (or abandoned) by the Ministry of Justice since its formation in May 2007. However, two ICT projects have been cancelled, as identified in the response to a question from the hon. Member for Cardiff Central (Jenny Willott) on 23 February 2009,  Official Report, column 346W.
	August 2007-The National Enforcement Tracker System (NETS) project was cancelled following a detailed review which highlighted that the cost and scope of the project no longer provided value for money or met current business requirements. Expenditure to closure of the project was £4.328 million; this sum was reported in accordance with HMT accounting rules.
	November 2008-following a review by Her Majesty's Courts Service (HMCS) Board, the Electronic Filing and Document Management programme, which included plans for future investment in ICT, was cancelled. The costs incurred by the programme from commencement of the programme in August 2005 to its closure in November 2008 were £5.922 million.
	In neither case were ICT contracts cancelled.

Departmental Pay

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what average hourly rate his Department has paid to each employment agency for agency staff in each year since its inception.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice utilises the following contractual arrangements, at the stated average(1) hourly day rate.
	(1) The average hourly day rate has been calculated based on the 'mean' of all of the roles included in each supplier contracted rate card.
	
		
			   Average hourly day rate (£) 
			  Contract/agency  2007-08  2008-09  2009-10 
			 Temporary clerical and admin framework, contract with Brook Street (UK) Ltd 10.94 11.08 10.91 
			 Temporary clerical and admin framework, contract with Hays Specialist Recruitment Ltd 9.42 9.40 10.06 
			 Temporary clerical and admin framework, contract with Employment Plus Ltd 9.99 10.13 10.89 
			 Temporary clerical and admin framework, contract with Office Angels 10.38 10.53 10.39 
			 Supply of labour only contract with Hays Construction and Property 16.87 15.42 13.06

EU Law

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many officials in his Department work  (a) full-time and  (b) for most of their time on the negotiation, implementation or administration of EU legislation and consequent policies.

Jonathan Djanogly: The number of officials working within the Ministry of Justice on the negotiation, implementation or administration of legislation or policies originating from the EU will vary at any one time.
	As a rough estimate there are currently around 18 officials who currently work full-time and a further 21 who spend approximately 50% or more of their time on current EU business.

Family Courts: Legal Aid

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what representations he has received on the reduction in the number of contracts issued by his Department for family legal aid work; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: Representations to the Secretary of State have been received by a number of sources and have focused on two aspects of the tender process. The majority related to the outcome of a specific bid, and are being dealt with under the Legal Service Commission's (LSC) appeal process. A smaller number of the representations express concern about the impact of the tender outcome in particular geographic areas. These issues are being actively explored by the LSC.
	The tender process will not be completed until all appeals have been concluded and pre-contract verification has finished which the LSC estimate will be by the end of September 2010.

Family Courts: Social Work

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many reports were provided by independent social workers to  (a) family courts,  (b) magistrates courts,  (c) county courts and  (d) the High Court in each year from 2002 to 2010; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: Independent social workers provide the court with advice and assessments reports in a range of proceedings. These reports are commissioned and organised locally. Information on the number of reports provided is not recorded by the courts.

First Offenders

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people who  (a) were given a non-custodial sentence and  (b) were given their first custodial sentence in each year from 2002 to 2010 had previously had (i) no criminal convictions, (ii) one criminal conviction, (iii) two criminal convictions, (iv) three criminal convictions, (v) four criminal convictions, (vi) five to 10 criminal convictions, (vii) 11 to 20 criminal convictions, (viii) 21 to 30 criminal convictions, (ix) 31 to 40 criminal convictions, (x) 41 to 50 criminal convictions, (xi) 51 to 75 criminal convictions, (xii) 76 to 100 criminal convictions and (xiii) more than 100 criminal convictions.

Crispin Blunt: The figures requested are in tables 1 and 2 as follows. The figures are further breakdowns of the criminal history statistics presented in chapter 6 of
	"Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales 2008" which was published on 28 January 2010 and can be found at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/sentencingannual.htm
	"Sentencing Statistics, England and Wales 2009" with 2009 data will be published on 21 October 2010.
	
		
			  Table 1: Number of offenders who were sentenced to non-custodial sentences for indictable offences( 1, 2)  by the number of previous convictions, 2002-08, England and Wales 
			  Number of persons 
			  Number of previous convictions  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 0 56,711 55,885 53,899 53,004 52,313 52,985 52,490 
			 1 30,685 29,779 27,762 26,731 26,780 27,630 27,349 
			 2 22,115 21,349 19,344 18,642 18,337 18,872 18,825 
			 3 17,401 16,820 15,307 14,275 13,966 14,657 14,053 
			 4 14,361 13,892 12,272 11,446 11,351 11,857 11,574 
			 5-10 52,780 52,612 46,734 43,139 41,979 43,493 44,546 
			 11-20 36,785 38,945 36,179 33,796 32,371 33,642 35,584 
			 21-30 12,844 14,341 14,616 14,088 14,143 15,232 17,122 
			 31-40 3,967 4,731 4,954 5,378 5,614 6,416 7,526 
			 41-50 1,259 1,539 1,690 1,818 1,994 2,446 3,141 
			 51-75 756 918 1,018 1,132 1,135 1,483 1,923 
			 76-100 187 229 202 182 240 329 432 
			 More than 100 257 251 213 181 179 232 315 
			 Total 250,108 251,291 234,190 223,812 220,402 229,274 236,888 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: Number of offenders who were sentenced for the first time to immediate custody for indictable offences( 1, 2)  by number of previous convictions, 2002-08, England and Wales 
			  Number of persons 
			  Number of previous convictions  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 0 9,843 9,643 10,483 10,581 10,505 11,559 12,389 
			 1 3,912 3,704 3,835 3,764 3,737 3,931 3,979 
			 2 3,080 2,761 2,883 2,773 2,751 2,754 2,731 
			 3 2,478 2,349 2,337 2,203 2,212 2,180 2,218 
			 4 2,084 1,931 1,861 1,814 1,717 1,714 1,740 
			 5-10 5,640 5,420 5,277 4,943 4,844 4,969 5,240 
			 11-20 1,015 1,052 1,121 1,103 1,114 1,150 1,284 
			 21-30 39 57 53 59 70 75 63 
			 More than 30 14 20 16 11 15 8 11 
			 Total 28,105 26,937 27,866 27,251 26,965 28,340 29,655 
			 (1) Including indictable and trial either ways offences. (2) Counts of offenders sentenced during the year, an offender may be counted more than once if an offender had been sentenced more than once. 
		
	
	The figures have been drawn from the police's administrative IT system, the police national computer, which, as with any large scale recording system, is subject to possible errors with data entry and processing. The figures are provisional and subject to change as more information is recorded by the police.

Fraud

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people have been convicted under the House to House Collections Act 1939 for fraudulent collection in each of the last 10 years; and what sentence was given in each case.

Crispin Blunt: Persons proceeded against for offences under the House to House Collections Act 1939 cannot be separately identified on the Ministry of Justice Court Proceedings Database as they form part of a miscellaneous group which cannot be analysed.

Immigration

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice to which organisations matter starts previously allocated to Refugee and Migrant Justice have been allocated.

Jonathan Djanogly: When RMJ went into administration, they reported that 12,500 open client matters existed. All these cases have now either (a) been closed because in the professional opinion of the ex-RMJ caseworker no further action was required or (b) transferred to an alternative provider who had capacity to handle the matter. Some alternative providers needed additional matter starts and these have been agreed while others were able to handle some or all of the requests within their existing allocation of matter starts. Requests for additional matter starts are considered during the life of the contract with a legal aid provider. We cannot confirm whether requests from providers were as a result of the transfer of work from RMJ or that demand had increased from clients. We can however confirm that RMJ had 7,800 unused matter starts at the point of insolvency and that no provider has had a request for an increase to handle transferred cases refused.
	The following legal aid providers have received bulk transfers of former RMJ clients from BDO the Administrators. There may be other providers who have received individual former RMJ clients.
	Barry Clark Solicitors
	Bindmans
	Brighton Housing Trust
	Camden Community Law Centre
	Charles Annon and Co. Limited
	Chinyoka Solicitors
	Cleveland and Co.
	Corbin and Hassan
	Dare Emmanuel Solicitors
	David Gray Solicitors
	Derbyshire Access 2 Law
	Duncan Lewis
	Fadiga and Co.
	Elder Rahimi
	Fountain Solicitors
	Freeman's Solicitors
	French and Co.
	Halliday Reeves
	Harbans Singh and Co. Solicitors
	Harehills and Chapeltown Law Centre
	Haringey Citizens Advice Bureau
	Havilland Solicitors
	Immigration Advisory Service
	Irving and Co.
	Island Advice Centre
	Islington Law Centre
	J D Spicer and Co.
	Jackson Centre
	Kirklees Law Centre
	Lawrence and Co.
	Migrants Resource Centre
	Newcastle Law Centre
	Palis Solicitors
	Paragon Law
	Parker Rhodes Hickmotts
	Ratna and Co.
	Sheffield Law Centre
	Sheikh and Co. Solicitors
	Sriharans Solicitors
	Sutovic and Hartigan
	Switalski's Solicitors
	Talbots
	Thompson and Co.
	Tower Hamlets Law Centre
	Trott and Gentry
	Waran and Company
	Wick and Co. Solicitors
	Wilson Solicitors LLP.

Immigration

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many new matter starts were allocated to the Immigration Advisory Service in  (a) Greater Manchester and  (b) the UK in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009 and (iii) 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The IAS allocation of matter starts in 2008-09 was based on an "estimate of likely usage". Their actual 2008-09 running rate informed their 2009-10 award in line with awards to other providers. The 2010-11 award was for 6.5 months only and not a full year as the current contract was due to end part way through the year.
	The three IAS offices in the north-west (Manchester, Liverpool and Blackburn) operate under a single contract and there is therefore no separate contractual matter starts allocation for Manchester. The matter start allocations for the 'north-west' and other areas are shown in the table along with the England and Wales total.
	The Legal Services Commission only provides legal aid for England and Wales.
	
		
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11 (est) 
			  LSC office  Immigration  Asylum  Immigration  Asylum  Immigration  Asylum 
			 Midlands(1) 1,760 867 3,955 1,504 2,142 815 
			 Wales/South( )West(2) 491 327 1,065 442 480 126 
			 East(3) 414 204 910 296 493 160 
			 Leeds(4) 1,268 1,037 3,750 2,558 2,031 1,386 
			 London(5) 2,650 991 5,176 1,516 2,804 821 
			 North West(6) 1,223 1,495 3,120 2,231 1,690 1,208 
			 Oakington Immigration Removal Centre - - 75 2,424 41 1,313 
			 England and Wales 7,806 4,921 18,051 10,971 9,681 5,829 
			 (1) Includes Birmingham, Leicester and Derby offices (2) Includes Cardiff and Bristol offices (3) Covers Peterborough and Norwich offices (4) Covers Leeds, Newcastle, Bradford, Sheffield and Middlesbrough offices (5 )Covers Southwark, Hounslow and Bedford offices (6) Covers Manchester, Liverpool and Blackburn offices

Julian Harrington

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice for what reasons the governing governor did not conduct the security category review which took place in April 2010 for Julian Harrington; and when Mr Harrington will be transferred to HMP Hollesley Bay.

Crispin Blunt: Governing Governors are not routinely required to conduct categorisation reviews. It is not the policy of the National Offender Management Service to comment publicly on the cases of individual prisoners. My Noble Friend Lord McNally wrote to the hon. Member on 22 August explaining the latest position, and I will contact her very shortly to update this.

Legal Aid: Immigration

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment has been made of the compatibility with the UK's international humanitarian obligations of changes in the tendering process for immigration legal aid.

Jonathan Djanogly: The European Community Council Directive 2003/9/EC (Council Directive 2003/9/EC of 27 January 2003: Laying down minimum standards for the reception of asylum seekers) places certain obligations on member states with regard to the reception conditions for asylum applicants. Provisions include minimum standards on information, documentation, education, health care, accommodation, withdrawal of reception conditions as well as extra provisions for children and vulnerable individuals. The directive contains no obligation on member states to provide "free legal advice" and assistance to asylum seekers at the initial stage of their case. After a negative decision, the directive stipulates that access to legal assistance for appeals shall be laid down in national law (Article 21 (2)). As this is a minimum standards directive, member states are free to provide "more favourable conditions" than those contained in the directive. Unlike most member states, the UK continues to provide free legal "advice" and "representation at the Tribunal" out of public funds to eligible asylum applicants at both the initial stage and appeals. The current tendering process has in no way restricted the scope of legal aid.

Legal Aid: Immigration

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what mechanisms there are to monitor the effect on service provision of the tendering process for immigration legal aid.

Jonathan Djanogly: In apportioning immigration cases across England and Wales the LSC identified areas of high demand within procurement areas (access points) and assigned matter starts (cases) to these to ensure provision where there is the greatest demand. Once the tender process is completed and the LSC has carried out validation checks to ensure that successful applicants are in a position to deliver services from the start of the contract, the LSC will undertake an evaluation of the results.

Legal Profession: Fees and Charges

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the recommendations of Lord Justice Jackson's review of civil litigation costs, what plans he has for the future role of the Civil Justice Council in addition to consulting on a voluntary code of conduct for third party funders.

Jonathan Djanogly: Lord Justice Jackson's Review of Civil Litigation Costs makes a broad range of significant recommendations for reducing costs in the civil justice system. Some recommendations are for the Government to take forward and as I announced to the House on 26 July 2010,  Official Report, column 68WS, we will be consulting in the autumn on implementing Lord Justice Jackson's recommendations on the reform of funding arrangements.
	Work on other recommendations is more appropriately led by others. So for example in addition to the consultation on a voluntary code of conduct for third party funders that I announced on 26 July 2010, the CJC are currently undertaking a review of pre-action protocols which includes consideration of Sir Rupert's recommendations in this area. They are also setting up a working group to look at the recommendation for uniform calibration of software systems used in assessment of damages.
	I have agreed with the senior judiciary that they are uniquely placed to lead on the recommendations relating to case and costs management. The Civil Justice Council will assist them as appropriate in taking forward this work.
	My officials will continue to work with the Civil Justice Council in identifying areas where their collective experience can best be directed in considering and taking forward the many recommendations contained in Sir Rupert's report.

Legal Profession: Fees and Charges

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what changes he plans to make to the provisions of conditional fee arrangements as a result of the recommendations of the review by Lord Justice Jackson; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: As I announced to the House on 26 July 2010,  Official Report, column 68WS, we will be consulting in the autumn on implementing Lord Justice Jackson's recommendations on the reform of funding arrangements, as set out in his report 'Review of Civil Litigation Costs: Final Report' (published 14 January 2010). This will include in particular his proposals for significant reform to conditional fee agreements (CFAs). The Government will determine the way forward subject to the results of that consultation.

Legal Representation: Immigration

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many immigration cases have been adjourned due to a lack of legal representation for former clients of Refugee and Migrant Justice since that organisation entered into administration.

Jonathan Djanogly: The First-tier Tribunal-Immigration and Asylum Chamber is responsible for considering appeals against decisions made by the Secretary of State for the Home Department. The tribunal is not able to provide the information which the hon. Member has requested as it is not able to identify cases which have been adjourned solely on the basis of Refugee and Migrant Justice entering administration. It could do so only at disproportionate cost by checking each appeal file for the reasons for adjournment for the period in question.

Legal Services Commission: Manpower

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many staff at each grade have been engaged in processing tender applications at the Legal Services Commission in 2010, with particular reference to the notification of results in July 2010.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Legal Services Commission used an e-tendering system which minimised the manual assessment needed.
	A team of 55 staff, ranging from band A3 (lowest level line management, senior processing or administration roles) to band C (middle/senior managers, technical experts), were trained in the use of the e-tender system and assessment. This team's work was moderated by a team of 10 moderators from within the Commissioning and Operational Policy department who also received training and were graded at band B1 (lower management, technical specialists), B2 (middle management, senior technical specialists) or band C. Moderators could escalate any matters they could not resolve to a core team, consisting of a band B2, a band C and two band Ds (senior managers).
	Final decisions on the failure of tenders at the Pre Qualification and Essential Stages and the agreement of the approach for assessing exceptional circumstances were agreed by either a band D or a director. Assessors, moderators and the core team have all participated in the notification process.

Magistrates Courts

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the utilisation rate was at  (a) Guildford,  (b) Redhill,  (c) Staines and  (d) Woking Magistrates Court in 2009-10;
	(2)  what the average utilisation rate was of a magistrates court in England in 2009-10;
	(3)  what the utilisation rate was at Woking Magistrates Court in each of the last 10 years.

Jonathan Djanogly: In 2009-10 nationally, magistrates courts sat an average of 64% of the possible time available based on a five hour day five days a week.
	The utilisation rates in 2009-10 in Surrey are as follows:
	Guildford-62.3%
	Redhill-80.1%
	Staines-74.6%
	Woking-75%
	Her Majesty's Courts Service only retains utilisation figures for the past three years. At Woking magistrates court these were:
	2009-10-75.1%
	2008-09-78.4%
	2007-08-69.8%

Magistrates Courts

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what estimate he has made of the proportion of the population in  (a) Woking and  (b) the North West Surrey local justice area able to travel to Staines Magistrates' Court by public transport in 60 minutes.

Jonathan Djanogly: Statistics are not kept centrally on the population or geographical spread of people in each local justice area. It is proposed that only work currently heard at Woking from Runnymede will transfer to Staines, which is around 20 minutes by bus. The remaining two-thirds of work will be transferred to Guildford, which is 6.4 miles from Woking (20 minutes by car; eight minutes by train). Further analysis of travel times will be undertaken during the consultation period.

Magistrates Courts: Population

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average population of a local justice area in England is.

Jonathan Djanogly: There are currently 235 local justice areas in England and Wales. The Office of National Statistics' mid-2009 estimate of the population of England and Wales is 54,809,000. This indicates an average population of approximately 233,230 per local justice area. The Secretary of State is consulting on plans to reduce the number of local justice areas. A decision will be made after the consultation period has ended.
	Population data can be viewed on Table 2 on the UK National Statistics website:
	http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/pop0610.pdf

Magistrates Courts: Surrey

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  what the population was in  (a) North West Surrey,  (b) North Surrey and  (c) South West Surrey local justice area in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the population to be served by  (a) North Surrey and  (b) South West Surrey local justice area after the proposed merger with North West Surrey local justice area.

Jonathan Djanogly: Statistics are not kept on the population in each local justice area.

Magistrates Courts: Surrey

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many magistrates courts there were in Surrey in each of the last 20 years.

Jonathan Djanogly: Central Government became responsible for the magistrates courts in 2005 upon the formation of HM Courts Service. Limited information is available for the period before that. 20 years ago there were magistrates courts in: Camberley, Chertsey, Dorking, Epsom, Farnham, Guildford, Godstone, Redhill, Staines, Walton, and Woking.
	Magistrates courts continue to sit at Guildford, Redhill, Staines and Woking.

Magistrates Courts: Woking

Jonathan Lord: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likely effects of the closure of Woking Magistrates Court on those people living in areas surrounding Woking and dependent upon public transport to attend courts.

Jonathan Djanogly: A preliminary impact assessment for all of the court estate proposals is available on the Department's website. Detailed impact assessments, including the impact on people who live in the areas surrounding Woking and who are dependent on public transport are currently being produced and will be informed by responses to the consultation paper.

Mediation

Oliver Heald: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of mediations; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: People often find themselves involved in court actions when their disagreements might be better resolved between themselves at a much earlier stage and with a more satisfactory outcome, through processes such as mediation, rather than the 'winner takes all' approach offered by litigation. The intervention of the court should only be sought when a genuine point of law exists or when people or businesses are at risk. As a Government, we are keen for people to take a less adversarial and a more collaborative approach to solving their problems and encourage greater use of mediation in both civil and family issues.

Members: Correspondence

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to reply to the letter dated 9 August 2010 from the hon. Member for Witham on Jeremy Bamber; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: I replied to the hon. Member on 8 September and I apologise for the delay in doing so.

Members: Correspondence

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he expects to reply to the letter dated 12 August 2010 from the hon. Member for Witham on Michael Binnington and Luke Atkinson; if he will meet their relations to discuss their case; if he will assess the merits of using his powers to commute their sentences; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: A reply to my hon. Friend's letter of the 12 August was sent on 10 September. That letter sets out the circumstances under which powers to commute a sentence may be used. In addition, my letter to my hon. Friend the Member for Witham dated 5 August set out the reasons why it would not be appropriate for Ministers to meet the families of Mr Binnington and Mr Atkinson.

National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the speech by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State to the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders on 22 July 2010, whether the Secretary of State  (a) saw and  (b) approved the speech prior to delivery, with particular reference to the announcement of the rescission of Prison Service Instruction 50/2008 on acceptable activities in prisons.

Kenneth Clarke: I work closely with all the Ministers in my Department on the range of issues for which I am responsible. The speech to which you refer, given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Crispin Blunt) on 22 July, drew attention to PSI 50/2008 which expired on 5 January 2010.
	Prior to this, decisions on activities in prison were taken locally by Prison Governors. The expiry of that PSI provided an opportunity to reassess whether local discretion could be returned to Prison Governors, or whether activities in the 140 prisons were better managed via central prescription. A new instruction was subsequently issued which drew attention to the need to ensure public confidence and modest costs were maintained, but which returned decision-making to the local level.

National Offender Management Service: Location

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many National Offender Management Service headquarters functions have been moved outside London in each of the last six years; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: During 2006 NOMS relocated the financial transactions functions in HQ from London to Newport. In 2007 NOMS relocated the Human Resources transactions function from London to Newport. In total 285 posts were moved out of London and the south east during these relocations.
	
		
			   Functions moving 
			 2004 - 
			 2005 - 
			 2006 Financial transactions 
			 2007 Human Resources transactions 
			 2008 - 
			 2009 -

National Offender Management Service: Manpower

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many operational managers were employed by the National Offender Management Service in each of the last six years.

Crispin Blunt: Information on the number of operational managers employed across both public sector and contracted Prison Service establishments and the National Offender Management Service headquarters is contained in the following table.
	
		
			  Operational managers in post( 1) 
			   Operational managers( 2) 
			  31 March:  
			 2004 1,474 
			 2005 1,596 
			 2006 1,841 
			 2007 1,886 
			 2008 1,975 
			 2009 2,088 
			 2010 2,018 
			 (1 )Basis: headcount, i.e. part-timers count as one. Data source: Personnel Corporate Database and Oracle HRMS).  (2)All managers are allocated as operational at certain contracted establishments.

Non-Molestation Orders

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many convictions there were for contempt of court where the offence related to a breach of the terms of a non-molestation injunction order in each year since 2000;
	(2)  how many convictions there were for offences related to breaches of non-molestation injunction orders in each year since 2005.

Crispin Blunt: Contempt of court statistics cannot be separately identified on the Ministry of Justice court proceedings database as they form part of a miscellaneous group which cannot be analysed.
	Information on offenders who breach the terms of their injunction is not currently collated by the Ministry of Justice.

Prison Accommodation

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many new prison places have been created in each of the last 24 months for which figures are available; and what the estimated capital construction cost was per prison place per year of lifespan of the prison concerned, excluding operation, maintenance and other costs.

Crispin Blunt: The following table shows how many new prison places have been created in England and Wales in each of the last 24 months for which figures are available.
	
		
			   Number of places( 1) 
			  2008  
			 July 0 
			 August 102 
			 September 449 
			 October 132 
			 November 269 
			 December 106 
			   
			  2009  
			 January 190 
			 February 92 
			 March 82 
			 April 29 
			 May 212 
			 June 29 
			 July 34 
			 August 41 
			 September 400 
			 October 0 
			 November 523 
			 December 77 
			   
			  2010  
			 January 720 
			 February 274 
			 March 566 
			 April 332 
			 May 533 
			 June 70 
			 July 857 
			 August 41 
			 (1) Includes places delivered through new build accommodation, conversion of existing buildings and more effective use of the estate. 
		
	
	The average construction cost for new prison places, including costs of providing ancillary facilities, and excluding running costs, is approximately £170,000 per place across the lifetime of the accommodation.

Prison Service: Ethnic Groups

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of HM Prison Service officers and staff at each HM Prison Service facility in the London region are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds.

Crispin Blunt: Information on what proportion of HM Prison Service officers and staff are from black and minority ethnic backgrounds based on headcount at each establishment within the London region as at 31 March 2010 is contained in the following table. Data provided are on headcount basis (part timers count as one).
	
		
			  BME staff proportions within London establishments 
			  Percentage 
			   Officers  Other staff 
			  Establishments  BME  White  BME  White 
			 Belmarsh 10.0 90.0 13.8 86.2 
			 Brixton 32.0 68.0 37.5 62.5 
			 Feltham 18.8 81.2 19.9 80.1 
			 Holloway 39.2 60.8 55.3 44.7 
			 Isis 10.0 90.0 3.8 96.2 
			 Latchmere House 8.6 91.4 29.5 70.5 
			 Pentonville 27.8 72.2 52.1 47.9 
			 Wandsworth 21.1 78.9 33.5 66.5 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 24.7 75.3 38.0 62.0 
			 London total 22.2 77.8 32.1 67.9 
			  Note: Includes prison, senior and principal officers.

Prison Service: Greater London

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many HM Prison Service  (a) officers and  (b) other staff are employed at each HM Prison Service facility in the London region.

Crispin Blunt: Information on how many officers and other staff employed at each establishment within the London region as at 31 March 2010 is contained in the following table. Data provided is on headcount basis (part timers count as one).
	
		
			  Staff in post within London establishments 
			  Establishment (Est)  Officers( 1)  (all officer grades)  Other staff  Grand total 
			 Belmarsh 521 395 916 
			 Brixton 213 125 338 
			 Feltham 403 326 729 
			 Holloway 239 251 490 
			 Isis 22 34 56 
			 Latchmere House 36 45 81 
			 Pentonville 385 212 597 
			 Wandsworth 430 273 703 
			 Wormwood Scrubs 312 240 552 
			 
			 Total (London Est) 2,561 1,901 4,462 
			 (1 )Includes prison, senior and principal officers

Prison Service: Greater London

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what plans he has for the future of HM Prison Brixton; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The role and function of prisons is kept under regular review, taking into account a number of factors affecting the requirements of a fit for purpose custodial estate. Decisions on the long-term future of the estate will be made in light of the review of rehabilitation and sentencing and the spending review.

Prison Service: Manpower

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many operational managers were employed at each prison establishment on 31 March in each of the last 13 years;
	(2)  how many non-operational managers were employed at each prison establishment on 31 March in each of the last 13 years;
	(3)  how many prison officers were employed at each prison establishment on 31 March in each of the last 13 years;
	(4)  how many administration grade staff were employed at each prison establishment on 31 March in each of the last 13 years.

Crispin Blunt: Information on staffing levels in the grades specified within each Prison Service establishment is contained in the tables that have been placed in the House Library. Certain staff groups, for example operational support grades, are not included in the questions. A table of overall staff numbers at each establishment has also been included.

Prisoners' Release

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of prisoners released from Gloucester Prison had no fixed address in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: Figures for the number of offenders released from Gloucester prison, who had no fixed address, are presented in the following. Data prior to 2007 is not held centrally.
	
		
			   Total releases  No fixed abode  % releases with no fixed abode 
			 2009 468 31 7 
			 2008 504 30 6 
			 2007 473 36 8 
			  Note: Figures exclude any prisoners deported on release 
		
	
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prisoners: Streatham

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prisoners at each prison in the London region normally reside in Streatham constituency.

Crispin Blunt: Information on a prisoner's residence is provided by prisoners on reception into prison and recorded on the central IT system. However this information is stored in such a way that the retrieval and processing required to answer this question would be at disproportionate cost.
	Work is currently under way to improve prisoner data systems and once this work is complete data will be easily obtainable and will readily be able to provide a population breakdown down to the Streatham constituency level.
	It is anticipated that this work will be completed in approximately three months time and I will write to the hon. Member as soon as the data are available.

Prisons: Manpower

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers and  (c) executive support and administration staff there were in each prison in each of the last five years;
	(2)  how many  (a) directors,  (b) senior managers and  (c) executive support and administration staff were employed by the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) in (i) headquarters, (ii) area offices and (iii) other NOMS non-prison offices in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: Information on staffing levels in the grades specified within each Prison Service establishment is contained in tables which have been placed in the Library. The data provided cover the public sector and the contracted estate. Grading systems vary between the public and private sectors, and between individual contractors.

Prisons: Population

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the prison population was at each prison establishment on 31 March in each of the last 13 years.

Crispin Blunt: The prison population on the last day of March of each year from 1998 to 2010 is provided in the following table.
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems, which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.
	
		
			  Prison population, England and Wales, as at 31 March, by establishment and year 
			   1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 Acklington 656 630 726 725 765 792 869 875 820 851 875 937 931 
			 Albany(1) 432 427 436 438 439 444 521 516 522 523 555 554 * 
			 Aldington(2) 139 141 * * * * * * * * * * * 
			 Altcourse 634 684 842 788 902 1,007 988 892 980 1,103 1,315 1,281 1,303 
			 Ashfield(3) * * 281 354 373 218 270 269 343 398 391 337 235 
			 Ashwell 453 491 477 380 471 527 533 544 543 540 543 618 213 
			 Askham Grange 124 122 115 112 136 131 134 88 122 109 97 114 112 
			 Aylesbury 298 364 339 353 347 354 363 384 433 443 441 440 438 
			 Bedford 367 373 346 368 437 462 481 486 471 483 483 405 487 
			 Belmarsh 884 725 768 832 850 862 921 902 919 927 912 883 862 
			 Birmingham 1,050 1,071 1,082 828 876 949 1,406 1,400 1,445 1,450 1,434 1,413 1,461 
			 Blakenhurst(4) 842 826 819 820 838 879 870 979 1,058 1,061 1,059 * * 
			 Blantyre House 118 116 120 109 119 117 117 117 119 120 118 117 121 
			 Blundeston 337 351 405 408 418 459 462 454 452 460 465 517 520 
			 Brinsford 527 499 500 464 467 449 463 443 467 423 425 548 451 
			 Bristol 582 579 542 535 608 602 581 600 600 601 610 605 611 
			 Brixton 576 752 810 749 752 791 818 786 811 805 808 754 774 
			 Brockhill(5) 125 146 150 151 159 152 138 112 124 169 167 * * 
			 Bronzefield(6) * * * * * * * 445 444 427 429 420 484 
			 Buckley Hall(7) 382 380 390 358 * 368 322 351 376 381 377 378 383 
			 Bullingdon 675 866 866 856 894 947 943 972 951 967 947 1,041 1,121 
			 Bullwood Hall 138 134 138 160 178 146 152 148 156 159 205 226 223 
			 Bure(8) * * * * * * * * * * * * 249 
			 Camp Hill(1) 477 465 468 524 530 544 574 591 591 595 588 580 * 
			 Canterbury 257 280 274 291 310 281 315 294 282 273 271 292 303 
			 Cardiff 714 659 650 615 669 656 675 759 751 756 747 806 823 
			 Castington 322 398 210 274 332 300 336 349 370 390 380 350 283 
			 Channings Wood 593 577 576 582 603 620 664 656 651 662 719 719 724 
			 Chelmsford 483 385 375 468 521 564 593 580 593 715 697 688 688 
			 Coldingley 297 282 310 351 376 385 387 390 390 393 391 503 509 
			 Cookham Wood 149 150 149 143 141 139 137 165 178 168 0 106 92 
			 Dartmoor 652 641 659 637 618 613 618 617 610 605 638 643 590 
			 Deerbolt 415 406 457 386 478 395 481 441 387 368 436 436 504 
			 Doncaster 1,102 1,024 1,072 1,085 1,081 1,128 1,118 1,057 1,051 1,134 1,114 1,141 1,120 
			 Dorchester 213 216 220 229 248 256 223 239 252 244 234 225 232 
			 Dovegate(9) * * * * 699 853 839 791 832 844 839 849 1,137 
			 Dover 309 239 300 289 138 261 296 256 253 305 310 314 311 
			 Downview 337 340 338 327 255 217 217 247 338 349 348 354 338 
			 Drake Hall 285 218 192 193 266 232 297 283 230 257 302 265 285 
			 Durham 934 893 883 693 720 679 725 651 844 972 931 938 974 
			 East Sutton Park 93 81 79 92 96 93 97 94 90 95 94 85 81 
			 Eastwood Park 258 265 306 297 322 261 334 323 294 342 307 329 310 
			 Edmunds Hill(10) * * * * * * 299 150 355 357 361 369 380 
			 Elmley(11) 914 889 905 909 938 957 973 982 975 985 992 945 * 
			 Erlestoke 308 297 313 317 330 380 421 420 425 400 461 464 468 
			 Everthorpe 457 462 464 468 385 375 455 461 651 677 679 683 670 
			 Exeter 440 435 466 464 489 526 516 534 514 506 476 521 548 
			 Featherstone 595 593 589 591 598 610 611 601 610 613 684 679 649 
			 Feltham 908 835 746 643 702 629 688 578 629 636 597 635 657 
			 Ford 455 352 416 311 490 515 527 512 522 438 529 525 549 
			 Forest Bank(12) * * 517 723 980 1,031 994 1,012 1,020 1,060 1,134 1,094 1,422 
			 Foston Hall 141 147 171 152 213 223 227 202 241 222 252 223 236 
			 Frankland 446 516 516 597 649 663 662 712 700 716 726 729 816 
			 Full Sutton 581 525 577 578 605 597 599 599 570 570 597 569 590 
			 Garth 645 638 640 620 647 632 659 640 602 614 811 805 843 
			 Gartree 361 366 352 278 275 283 406 414 471 572 576 675 677 
			 Glen Parva 861 845 833 759 802 784 778 754 776 808 797 785 809 
			 Gloucester 326 294 289 240 327 317 302 271 280 301 312 303 309 
			 Grendon (Spring Hill) 439 448 438 448 446 498 557 511 522 553 530 515 541 
			 Guys Marsh 437 510 515 505 515 562 558 556 569 570 565 571 555 
			 Haslar 156 143 157 135 134 111 118 136 149 124 142 150 118 
			 Hatfield(13) 169 145 115 160 160 * * * * * * * * 
			 Haverigg 545 357 389 494 561 560 563 535 568 568 627 607 563 
			 Hewell(4) 192 162 186 158 180 173 165 167 148 182 184 1,368 1,418 
			 High Down 681 790 632 686 697 715 732 736 738 759 940 1,066 1,104 
			 Highpoint 699 648 777 787 872 910 807 808 808 801 798 917 944 
			 Hindley 522 459 376 472 397 502 505 409 416 456 498 193 349 
			 Hollesley Bay (Warren Hill)(14) 392 327 293 325 409 455 303 277 241 292 332 340 340 
			 Holme House 956 945 963 927 966 1,013 996 969 973 1,000 993 937 1,084 
			 Holloway 520 508 483 469 472 486 460 428 406 427 453 432 457 
			 Hull 534 523 487 533 589 1,026 1,086 1,039 948 1,045 1,034 998 1,025 
			 Huntercombe 256 299 223 337 337 320 364 352 339 361 344 291 162 
			 Isle of Wight(1) * * * * * * * * * * * * 1,667 
			 Kennet(15) * * * * * * * * * * 333 336 338 
			 Kingston (Portsmouth) 118 175 182 184 186 186 136 139 193 198 198 173 195 
			 Kirkham 671 424 501 469 503 505 542 478 439 513 577 572 582 
			 Kirklevington Grange 179 176 166 165 180 182 217 220 223 222 223 270 266 
			 Lancaster Castle 218 215 144 187 236 241 235 240 236 233 209 230 238 
			 Lancaster Farms 473 473 488 499 512 460 519 486 519 504 490 503 524 
			 Latchmere House 190 173 174 182 184 190 197 205 168 205 205 199 203 
			 Leeds 1,199 1,224 1,236 1,244 1,226 1,242 1,243 1,193 1,122 1,015 990 1,151 1,158 
			 Leicester 352 331 339 333 313 363 374 341 337 353 329 339 347 
			 Lewes 461 456 435 445 489 498 513 518 535 521 581 664 479 
			 Leyhill 378 344 377 321 430 497 498 502 341 399 480 498 499 
			 Lincoln 610 430 491 487 534 424 461 444 458 497 708 672 665 
			 Lindholme 686 653 513 575 738 700 663 770 823 1,029 1,093 1,122 1,091 
			 Littlehey 640 639 628 631 644 659 698 703 689 698 701 717 876 
			 Liverpool 1,427 1,419 1,375 1,282 1,433 1,447 1,449 1,375 1,300 1,339 1,360 1,230 1,344 
			 Long Lartin 363 342 446 446 429 435 436 430 438 421 414 437 623 
			 Lowdham Grange 250 498 518 492 522 520 520 489 515 559 675 695 741 
			 Low Newton 317 98 211 242 285 295 320 238 230 249 307 295 255 
			 Maidstone 557 541 572 368 429 535 548 545 553 583 471 408 595 
			 Manchester 1,092 1,137 1,128 1,136 1,244 1,271 1,252 1,230 1,230 1,246 1,203 1,199 1,262 
			 Moorland 758 757 777 758 782 980 1,008 1,000 1,002 1,012 1,015 1,014 1,009 
			 Morton Hall 204 158 186 116 196 331 365 321 291 319 367 359 304 
			 New Hall 372 385 365 361 369 341 376 350 329 362 419 365 358 
			 North Sea Camp 213 177 191 190 209 272 303 305 239 274 296 303 303 
			 Northallerton 256 295 262 217 220 223 221 154 238 247 232 208 234 
			 Norwich 718 682 661 652 738 762 726 785 764 618 532 501 757 
			 Nottingham 417 431 435 495 496 544 509 493 490 551 551 550 616 
			 Onley 630 608 524 593 531 541 404 492 565 634 642 624 617 
			 Parc 691 774 769 873 947 1,026 1,016 973 1,007 1,126 1,173 1,180 1,190 
			 Parkhurst(1) 393 438 450 432 507 508 496 499 508 525 491 484 * 
			 Pentonville 1,109 1,093 1,070 1,088 1,132 1,241 1,199 1,195 1,139 1,131 1,142 1,087 1,216 
			 Peterborough(16) * * * * * * * 18 761 902 977 933 974 
			 Portland 571 550 549 503 413 446 468 388 438 552 564 601 473 
			 Preston 675 657 600 571 562 666 675 606 574 726 734 677 780 
			 Ranby 577 729 752 747 740 766 858 965 1,005 1,048 1,067 1,057 1,087 
			 Reading 233 221 226 203 262 265 273 268 286 268 241 227 263 
			 Risley 876 866 791 801 818 1,064 1,060 1,065 1,065 1,079 1,078 1,086 1,084 
			 Rochester 410 376 366 354 45 165 280 366 384 388 389 629 716 
			 Rye Hill(17) * * * 339 653 663 660 590 590 644 622 647 643 
			 Send 229 77 206 214 219 218 209 210 203 214 232 277 277 
			 Sheppey Cluster (Elmley)(11) * * * * * * * * * * * * 967 
			 Sheppey Cluster (Standford Hill)(11) * * * * * * * * * * * * 448 
			 Sheppey Cluster (Swaleside)(11) * * * * * * * * * * * * 990 
			 Shepton Mallet 208 211 211 129 188 176 187 179 182 187 185 189 189 
			 Shrewsbury 335 308 343 320 340 346 350 275 327 339 319 292 306 
			 Stafford 621 626 609 625 624 631 638 671 675 669 680 736 737 
			 Standford Hill(11) 327 204 316 321 368 424 423 438 456 395 444 451 * 
			 Stocken 456 576 579 570 578 577 621 601 616 619 742 812 815 
			 Stoke Heath 610 622 521 531 558 626 670 639 654 667 642 562 568 
			 Styal 285 277 438 436 436 431 442 349 428 426 452 432 436 
			 Sudbury 491 508 495 492 510 515 556 557 560 497 569 566 573 
			 Swaleside(11) 634 616 726 727 781 761 774 779 775 776 767 814 * 
			 Swansea 323 342 307 179 346 367 347 405 416 428 421 416 396 
			 Swinfen Hall 198 285 317 308 319 314 310 457 608 620 619 612 628 
			 The Mount 618 617 717 717 745 756 757 696 720 719 761 761 759 
			 The Verne 571 569 556 564 575 582 579 584 577 591 590 583 583 
			 The Weare(18) 356 311 380 367 394 392 371 381 * * * * * 
			 The Wolds 402 404 401 397 405 348 358 321 295 377 375 381 379 
			 Thorn Cross 220 203 218 188 246 176 261 268 236 224 223 289 283 
			 Usk (Prescoed) 282 290 304 322 324 392 413 414 404 408 410 404 427 
			 Wakefield 605 547 558 571 568 569 562 553 701 746 743 729 736 
			 Wandsworth 925 1,272 1,274 1,317 1,408 1,478 1,432 1,424 1,484 1,475 1,480 1,664 1,631 
			 Warren Hill(14) * * * * * * 218 197 207 218 208 207 149 
			 Wayland 642 632 632 616 644 696 699 694 698 702 780 1,007 997 
			 Wealstun 620 614 614 620 623 576 568 750 767 799 527 515 509 
			 Wellingborough 330 327 506 489 519 520 523 515 576 645 637 642 640 
			 Werrington 167 102 103 98 124 129 146 124 154 158 131 129 127 
			 Wetherby 313 345 264 316 331 333 297 332 339 323 322 396 307 
			 Whatton 236 272 273 272 276 343 358 354 450 760 817 836 813 
			 Whitemoor 531 475 390 386 417 411 423 436 450 449 392 448 449 
			 Winchester 598 589 610 572 570 625 591 644 710 541 554 696 685 
			 Woodhill 708 691 657 652 724 771 792 767 774 784 814 812 804 
			 Wormwood scrubs 1,346 904 753 966 1,101 1,223 1,244 1,218 1,243 1,257 1,289 1,260 1,298 
			 Wymott 799 797 789 781 789 808 849 1,040 1,040 1,062 1,065 1,133 1,140 
			 Total 65,435 64,212 65,463 65,394 69,784 72,954 75,295 74,962 77,058 79,745 81,695 82,893 85,184 
			 Police cells * * * * * * * * * 191 64 * * 
			 Establishment and police cell total 65,435 64,212 65,463 65,394 69,784 72,954 75,295 74,962 77,058 79,936 81,759 82,893 85,184 
			 '*' = Not applicable. (1) HMP Albany is now part of the organisational amalgamation of the former HMPs Camp Hill and Parkhurst. They now form HMP The Isle of Wight from 1 April 2009. (2) HMP Aldington closed in 1999. (3) Ashfield was opened in 1999. (4) HMP Blakenhurst and two former prisons HMP Brockhill and HMP Hewell Grange amalgamated on 25 June 2008 to form HMP Hewell. (5) HMP Brockhill now forms part of HMP Hewell from 25 June 2008. (6) HMP Bronzefield opened in June 2004. (7) HMP Buckley Hall was re-roled to a female closed training prison in 2002. The establishment was re-roled back to a male category C prison in 2005. (8) HMP Bure opened in November 2009. (9) HMP Dovegate opened in 2001. (10) In October 2003, Highpoint North (female) was formally re-named HMP Edmunds Hill. The establishment was re-roled as a category C male prison in 2005. (11) HMP Elmley forms part of The Sheppey Cluster, an amalgamation of HMP Standford Hill and HMP Swaleside. (12) HMP Forest Bank opened in 2000. (13) In 2002 Hatfield was taken over by HMP Moorland and re-named Moorland Open. (14) In 2002 Hollesley Bay and Warren Hill became separate establishments, the Open complex retaining the name Hollesley Bay. (15) HMP Kennet was opened in 2007. (16) HMP Peterborough, a dual purpose-built prison for men and women opened in March 2005. (17) HMP Rye Hill opened in 2001. (18) HMP The Weare 'prison ship' closed 2005.

Probation: Gloucestershire

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what proportion of the annual costs of the Gloucestershire Probation Service was attributable to estate management services provided by the National Offender Management Service in each of the last five years.

Crispin Blunt: The following figures have been provided by Gloucestershire Probation Trust:
	
		
			  £000 
			   2009-10  2008-9  2007-8  2006-7  2005-6 
			 Estate charge per audited accounts accommodation, maintenance and utilities 689 684 671 706 708 
			 Funding 8,346 7,600 7,795 7,028 6,502 
			 % of funding 8 9 9 10 11

Prosecutions And Convictions: Landlords

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there were of landlords for failing to maintain their property under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System in respect of (i) excess cold and dampness, (ii) leaking roofs, (iii) dangerous or unstable structures, (iv) of dangerous electrical installations, (v) general disrepair issues, (vi) overcrowding and (vi) fire hazards in the latest period for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions of landlords in each local authority area for an offence of (i) tenant harassment and (ii) illegal eviction under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 there were in each year since 2004;
	(3)  how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions of landlords in each local authority area for failing to arrange an annual gas safety check or issuing a copy certificate under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 there were in each year since 2004;
	(4)  how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions of landlords in each local authority area for failing to keep in repair and proper working order the installations in the dwelling house for the supply of water, gas and electricity have taken place under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 in each year since 2004;
	(5)  how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there were of landlords in each local authority area for failure to comply with an enforcement notice under Part 1 of the Housing Act 2004 in each year since its introduction;
	(6)  how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions of landlords there were in each local authority area for failing to obtain a house in multiple occupation licence under the 2004 Housing Act 2004 in each year since its introduction;
	(7)  how many  (a) prosecutions and  (b) convictions there were of landlords in each local authority area for an offence of failing to protect tenants' deposits in an approved scheme under the 2004 Housing Act in each year since its introduction.

Crispin Blunt: The number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for the unlawful eviction of an occupier and the unlawful harassment of an occupier under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 in England and Wales from 2004 to 2008 (latest available) is given in the following tables. Figures are provided by police force area as the Ministry of Justice court proceedings database does not hold details of offences by authority area. Data for 2009 are planned for publication on 21 October 2010.
	Court proceedings data held centrally in an aggregated format do not separately identify individual offences under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Similarly it is not possible to separately identify specified offences under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System, and the Housing Act 2004.
	Information under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 is not collated centrally by the Ministry of Justice.
	
		
			  Number of defendants proceeded against at magistrates courts and found guilty at all courts for selected offences under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, England and Wales, by force( 1) , 2004 to 2008( 2,3,4) 
			  Unlawful eviction of occupier  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			  Force  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 1 1 4 1 2 1 1 2 1 - 
			 Bedfordshire 4 - - - - 1 3 - - - 
			 Cheshire - - 1 - 1 - - 1 - - 
			 Cleveland - - - - 1 - - - - 1 
			 Derbyshire - - - 1 - - - - 1 - 
			 Essex - - - - 2 - - - - - 
			 Hampshire 1 - - - - 1 - - - - 
			 Hertfordshire - 4 2 - - - 4 - 2 - 
			 Humberside 2 - - 2 - 2 - - 1 - 
			 Kent - - 3 1 - - - 1 - - 
			 Leicestershire 3 1 1 - - 1 - - - - 
			 Lincolnshire - 1 - - - - - - - - 
			 Metropolitan Police 8 5 9 8 1 4 3 4 2 2 
			 Northamptonshire - - 1 - 1 - - 1 - 1 
			 Nottinghamshire - - 1 - - - - - - - 
			 South Yorkshire - 2 3 2 1 - - 4 2 - 
			 Staffordshire 1 - 1 - - - - - - - 
			 Suffolk - - - - - - - - 1 - 
			 Surrey 1 2 - 1 - 1 1 - 1 - 
			 Sussex 1 - 1 - 1 - - - - - 
			 Thames Valley 1 - 3 1 - - - 1 - - 
			 Warwickshire - - 1 - - - - - - - 
			 West Mercia 1 - - - 1 - - - - - 
			 West Midlands 5 3 8 6 1 2 1 4 1 1 
			 West Yorkshire 1 1 3 1 - 1 1 3 1 - 
			 Wiltshire - - - 1 - - - - 1 - 
			 Dyfed-Powys - 1 - 1 - - - - - - 
			 Gwent 2 1 - - - 2 1 - - - 
			 North Wales 4 3 1 - 2 1 - - - 1 
			 South Wales - - 1 - - - - - - - 
			 England and Wales 36 25 44 26 14 17 15 21 14 6 
		
	
	
		
			  Unlawful harassment of occupier  Proceeded against  Found guilty 
			  Force  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008 
			 Avon and Somerset 2 1 4 - 6 - - 2 - 3 
			 Cambridgeshire - - - 1 - - - - 1 - 
			 Cleveland - - 3 - - - - 1 2 - 
			 Devon and Cornwall 1 - - 1 - 1 - - - - 
			 Essex - 1 - - - - - - - - 
			 Greater Manchester - - 1 - - - - 1 - - 
			 Hampshire - 1 - - - - - - - - 
			 Humberside - - - - 1 - - - - 1 
			 Lancashire - - - - 2 - - - - - 
			 Metropolitan Police 3 8 7 1 2 1 2 - 1 1 
			 Northumbria - - 1 - - - - - - - 
			 Nottinghamshire - - - - - - - - - 2 
			 South Yorkshire 2 1 - 1 - - 1 - - - 
			 Suffolk 1 - - - - 1 - - - - 
			 Thames Valley 3 - 1 - - 2 - - 1 - 
			 West Midlands - - 1 1 2 - - - - 1 
			 West Yorkshire - 3 - 2 - 1 1 - 1 - 
			 South Wales - 1 - 1 - - 1 - 1 - 
			 England and Wales 12 16 18 8 13 6 5 4 7 8 
			 '-' = nil (1) Where a police force area is not listed in the above table, assume nil data. (2) Excludes convictions for Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. (3) The statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When a defendant has been found guilty of two or more offences the principal offence is the offence for which the heaviest penalty is imposed. Where the same disposal is imposed for two or more offences, the offence selected is the offence for which the statutory maximum penalty is the most severe. (4) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services-Ministry of Justice

Remand In Custody: Young People

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)   (a) how many and  (b) what proportion of juveniles remanded in custody were subsequently (i) acquitted and (ii) given a non-custodial sentence in (A) magistrates and (B) Crown courts in each year since 2008; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)   (a) how many and  (b) what proportion of children (i) subject to court-ordered secure remand and (ii) otherwise remanded in custody were freed on bail prior to trial in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: The estimated number and proportion of juveniles remanded in custody who were subsequently acquitted or given a non-custodial sentence in England and Wales in 2008 (latest available) is shown in the table. Court data for 2009 are due to be published on 21 October 2010.
	It is not possible to derive the remand status of defendants at the stages of proceedings specified in the question from information held by the Ministry of Justice on its court proceedings database.
	
		
			  Estimated number and proportion of juveniles( 1)  remanded in custody( 2)  who were subsequently acquitted, received a non-custodial sentence( 3)  or a custodial sentence at magistrates courts and the Crown court, England and Wales, 2008( 4, 5) 
			   Number of juveniles  Percentage of juveniles( 6) 
			  Magistrates courts   
			 Acquitted 660 21 
			 Non-custodial 1,511 49 
			 Immediate custody 931 30 
			
			  Crown court   
			 Acquitted 167 11 
			 Non-custodial 264 18 
			 Immediate custody 1,052 71 
			 (1) Defined as being aged 10-17 at the date of appearance in court. (2) Includes those remanded in custody at any stage of proceedings at magistrates and Crown courts who may also have been given bail at some stage of those proceedings. (3) Magistrates courts figures exclude those committed for trial or sentence at the Crown court. Non-custodial sentences include discharges, fines, community sentences and a number of other sentences that do not involve incarceration. Acquitted includes proceedings discontinued, discharged, withdrawn and dismissed. (4) Excludes remands/bail data relating to Cardiff magistrates court for April, July and August 2008. (5) Indicates that the data are provisional and subject to change. (6) Percentages here represent the proportions of all juveniles who were remanded in custody, excluding those where the outcome resulted in committal for trial or sentence by magistrates courts to the Crown court.  Notes: 1. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. It is known that in some police force areas, information on remand decisions is not always readily available to those coding court proceedings returns. In certain cases, the return may be mistakenly coded as if no remand had taken place. For magistrates court proceedings, the number of remands and more importantly, the number which are in custody, are believed to be under-recorded in total. As the breakdown of remands into bail and custody cases for a number of forces is not accurate for a number of forces, estimates have to be made to provide national figures. 2. Some percentages may not sum to 100 due to rounding.  Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services.

Reoffenders

Richard Graham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the reoffending rates for  (a) short-term and  (b) long-term prisoners released from Gloucester Prison were in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice is undertaking a programme of work to investigate whether meaningful data on the reoffending of former prisoners from individual institutions can be produced. It is our intention to publish some findings from this work on 4 November 2010 in a new publication which will include a range of data and analysis on reoffending which is not covered by the existing published statistics.

Reparation By Offenders

Hazel Blears: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment has been made of the effect of  (a) community pay-back schemes and  (b) other restorative justice programming on re-offending rates.

Crispin Blunt: The information requested is set out as follows.
	 Community payback schemes
	The high-visibility community payback scheme did not commence until December 2008, therefore reoffending rates for the period covered by the scheme will not be available until data for the 2009 cohort are published in March 2011.
	Reoffending rates are available for those who commenced both community and suspended sentence orders with a requirement for unpaid work only. The reoffending rate for those who commenced a community order with an unpaid work requirement between 1 January and 31 March 2008 was 25.3%, while the reoffending rate for those who commenced a suspended sentence order with an unpaid work requirement over the same period was 17.5%. These are the latest available data.
	These figures do not make an assessment of the effectiveness of unpaid work schemes; differences between the rates may be due to differences in offender characteristics rather than simply the effectiveness of unpaid work in reducing the likelihood of reoffending.
	Further information on adult reoffending is available at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/reoffendingofadults.htm
	 Restorative Justice
	There is mixed evidence from published sources on the effectiveness of restorative justice in reducing reoffending. A Home Office/Ministry of Justice evaluation found a fall in the likelihood of reconviction over a two year period but, because of the small sample size, this was not statistically significant. There was no impact on the severity of reconvictions. The study did find a statistically significant reduction in the frequency of subsequent reoffending (when using a meta-analysis technique).

Sentencing

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to publish his Department's consultation on the sentencing frameworks for adult and young offenders and the range of penalties available in the criminal justice system.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice is conducting a full assessment of sentencing to ensure that it is effective in deterring crime, protecting the public, punishing offenders and reducing reoffending. We are looking in detail at the sentencing frameworks for adult and young offenders, as well as the full range of penalties available in the criminal justice system. We will consult on our proposals as part of a Green Paper on rehabilitation, to be published in November.

Sentencing: Community Orders

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what recent discussions he and his officials have had on short-term sentencing policy and the use of community penalties.

Crispin Blunt: The Ministry of Justice is conducting a full assessment of sentencing to ensure that it is effective in deterring crime, protecting the public, punishing offenders and reducing re-offending. We are looking in detail at the sentencing frameworks for adult and young offenders, as well as the full range of penalties available in the criminal justice system. My officials and I have regular discussions as part of this work. We will consult on our proposals as part of a Green Paper on rehabilitation, to be published in November 2010.

Sexual Offences: Witham

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what his estimate is of the number of people who have served custodial sentences for  (a) sexual offences and  (b) sexual offences with children living in Witham constituency; what steps have been taken to prevent such people re-offending; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: It is not possible to give figures for the numbers of prisoners who have been discharged from prisons in England and Wales after serving custodial sentences for sexual offences and whose domicile addresses are in the Witham constituency.
	The available information on the number of releases from prison establishments is published within Chapter 9 of the Ministry of Justice Statistics bulletin "Offender Management Caseload Statistics 2009" available from the Library of the House and also available free at the following website address:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/prisonandprobation.htm
	All offenders, including sexual offenders, who are sentenced to 12 months or more in prison, will be subject to a post custodial licence which is supervised by the probation service.
	A licence contains standard conditions and, depending on the risk posed by the offender, may include additional conditions. An offender manager (probation officer) will supervise the offender to ensure that he/she complies with his or her licence conditions and, where there is evidence of increased risk to the public, will recall the offender to custody.

Tribunals: Employment

Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many employment tribunal cases have been brought in each year since 1990, broken down by the reason for the claim; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan Djanogly: The following table lists the number of cases brought (i.e. lodged, accepted and issued) by employment tribunals throughout Great Britain for the period 1990-2010.
	The Tribunals Service has published annual reports that break down the main heads of jurisdiction included in the cases brought since 1999-2000. The most recent annual report (for 2009-10) can be found online at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/publications/employment-eat-annual-stats.htm
	Previous annual reports from 1999-2000 are available at:
	http://www.employmenttribunals.gov.uk/Publications/annualReports.htm
	Further breakdown could be carried out only at disproportionate cost.
	The following table also lists the total number of jurisdictional claims brought in each relevant year. An employment tribunal case brought can contain a number of grounds, known as jurisdictional claims. In any individual proceedings, the tribunal has to decide upon the merits of the case made under each jurisdiction, for example, unfair dismissal or sex discrimination. The total number of jurisdictions covered by each case gives a truer measure of work load than the global number of cases. The full breakdown of the annual jurisdictional mixes is shown under table 1 in each of the annual reports published.
	
		
			  Total receipts and jurisdictional claims accepted by ET since 1990 
			   Total receipts  Total jurisdictional claims 
			 1990-91 43,200 n/a 
			 1991-92 67,700 n/a 
			 1992-93 72,400 n/a 
			 1993-94 72,300 n/a 
			 1994-95 75,200 n/a 
			 1995-96 108,800 n/a 
			 1996-97 88,900 n/a 
			 1997-98 80,435 n/a 
			 1998-99 91,900 148,800 
			 1999-2000 103,900 176,700 
			 2000-01 130,400 218,100 
			 2001-02 112,200 194,100 
			 2002-03 98,600 172,300 
			 2003-04 115,000 197,400 
			 2004-05 86,200 156,100 
			 2005-06 115,000 201,500 
			 2006-07 132,600 238,500 
			 2007-08 189,300 297,000 
			 2008-09 151,000 266,500 
			 2009-10 236,100 392,800

Tribunals: Social Security Benefits

Heidi Alexander: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many appeals against failed incapacity benefit and employment support allowance claims were heard by the Tribunals Service in each year since 2006; and what the total cost to the public purse of such appeals was in each of those years.

Jonathan Djanogly: The number of employment and support allowance (ESA) and incapacity benefit appeals heard by the first-tier tribunal-social security and child support in each year from 2006 were as follows:
	
		
			  Number 
			   ESA  Incapacity benefit 
			 2006-07 (1)n/a 59,115 
			 2007-08 (1)n/a 57,808 
			 2008-09 27 63,419 
			 2009-10 50,791 47,202 
			 2010-11(2) 46,230 13,682 
			 (1) ESA was introduced on 27 October 2008.(  2 )Year to date from 1 April 2010 to 31 July 2010 
		
	
	The Tribunals Service does not apportion costs at a level which would allow the precise cost of the individual case types to be reported. However, using a broad brush hearing clearance unit cost (including the Tribunals Service overheads) for all social security and child support cases, the estimated cost of the incapacity benefit and ESA hearings for each year are:
	
		
			   Cost (£ million) 
			 2006-07 15.3 
			 2007-08 15.0 
			 2008-09 17.3 
			 2009-10 27.5

Wines

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much his Department and its predecessors spent on wine in each year since 1997.

Crispin Blunt: All expenditure on food and drink is in line with the Ministry's internal Finance Policy Manual and Gifts and Hospitality Policy, which set out mandatory guidance for all staff regarding the use of public funds. Both are consistent with the Treasury guidance on "Managing Public Money" at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_mpm_index.htm
	and the Treasury handbook on "Propriety and Regularity" at:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/psr_governance_ valueformoney.htm
	The Ministry's policy on in-house hospitality prohibits the supply of any alcohol to Ministry of Justice personnel who are paid from departmental funds. When providing hospitality to external parties, discretion can be exercised, for example, wine may be provided with a meal provided that expenditure is modest and appropriate to the circumstances.
	Expenditure on alcohol is not specifically identified within the Ministry's accounting systems as it forms part of a wider 'entertainment and hospitality' classification. To identify specific amounts relating to alcohol of any form would involve examining every individual transaction within this wider category, which would incur disproportionate cost.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Asylum

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is provided to UK Border Agency staff on responding to constituency cases raised by regional list members of the  (a) Scottish Parliament,  (b) National Assembly for Wales and  (c) Northern Ireland Assembly.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency's policy is not to provide information on individual cases to Members of devolved legislatures, as immigration is a matter reserved for the Westminster Parliament. This policy is now under review. However, until a decision is taken on whether to change it, the previous policy remains in force.
	The UK Border Agency will provide full responses to Members of devolved legislatures where they write on matters of policy or on non-case specific subjects.

Asylum

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum made before 5 March 2007 by residents of  (a) Birmingham, Ladywood constituency,  (b) Birmingham City Council area and  (c) England have yet to be determined; and what proportion of these she expects to have been resolved by 31 August 2011.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency is unable to accurately report on the outstanding asylum cases being dealt with by the case resolution directorate (CRD) in the areas specified. As reported in July 2010 to the Home Affairs Select Committee, 50% of the concluded cases were data errors and required no further action. In addition, due to the age of some cases, addresses on file are subsequently found to have changed. Therefore, any such report would be unable to accurately represent CRD cases with outstanding applications.
	The agency will be reporting on its current performance in clearing the backlog in the autumn. I am confident CRD are on track to clear the backlog of older asylum cases by summer 2011 or earlier.

Asylum: Deportation

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements her Department has put in place for the transfer or disposal of assets belonging to  (a) failed asylum seekers and  (b) illegal immigrants on deportation.

Damian Green: UK Border Agency officials have the same arrangements in place for failed asylum seekers and illegal immigrants to secure or dispose of their possessions.
	Where people have their removal enforced there is guidance in the public domain on the handling of belongings which can be found on the UK Border Agency website in chapter 45 of the Enforcement Instructions and Guidance at:
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/policyandlaw/guidance/enforcement/
	Although this specific guidance relates to families, individuals are treated in line with this guidance.
	If someone is arrested in their home a minimum of 30 minutes will be allowed for an individual or a family to pack their belongings dependant on a dynamic risk assessment. If someone is arrested outside their home the local immigration team will liaise with the departure port regarding arrangements for baggage delivery.
	Individuals are advised of the need to make contact with someone to take responsibility for their belongings and will be provided access to telephones at the removal centre to make these arrangements. Further guidance can be found on the UK Border Agency website in the Detention Services Order 09-2008 at:
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/policyandlaw/detention-services-orders/management-of-detainees'.pdf?view=Binary

Asylum: Deportation

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many public order offences were reported in relation to the removal of  (a) failed asylum seekers and  (b) illegal immigrants during deportations in each of the last 12 months.

Damian Green: Public order offences, including those committed during a removal operation, fall under the jurisdiction of the police force within the area the offence was committed. Such data would be recorded at a local level by the police and is therefore not routinely available to the UK Border Agency.

Asylum: Deportation

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many no-notice removals of failed asylum seekers and illegal immigrants have been undertaken by the UK Border Agency in each of the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency policy is to give at least 72 hours notice of removal. However, in exceptional circumstances where the removal could not be managed in any other way, we have invoked a policy of giving a reduced period of notice. Although the notice period may have been less than 72 hours, some notice was always given. This policy of giving less than 72 hours notice was quashed by the High Court on 16 July 2010, and has not been in use since the granting of an interim injunction on 21 May 2010. The policy is now the subject of an appeal to the Court of Appeal. Over the last 12 months, reduced notice of removal applied as follows:
	
		
			   Number of times reduced notice applied  Number of times removal proceeded 
			 September 2009 1 1 
			 October 2009 4 4 
			 November 2009 2 1 
			 December 2009 2 1 
			 January 2010 3 (1)3 
			 February 2010 5 3 
			 March 2010 5 4 
			 April 2010 (3)11 8 
			 May 2010 (3)13 (2)4 
			 June 2010 0 0 
			 July 2010 0 0 
			 August 2010 0 0 
			 (1) One removal had the reduced notice period applied in December 2009 and was removed in January 2010. (2 )No planned removals proceeded with less than the standard notification period following the granting of an injunction at 14.00 on 21 May 2010. (3) The rise in numbers for April and May is due to the coming into effect of new exceptions categories. The majority of these (nine in April 2010 and 12 in May 2010) were exceptions under the consent provision where the person being removed provided their written consent to a reduced notice period.

Asylum: Finance

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason her Department introduced the Azure card system for payments to those awaiting asylum application determinations.

Damian Green: Failed asylum seekers who are destitute and unable to leave the UK immediately due to circumstances beyond their control, can request the provision of support under section 4 of the 1999 Act.
	Those in receipt of section 4 support are provided with accommodation and subsistence payments to the value of £35.39 per week. Until November 2009, the section 4 subsistence payment (then £35 per week) was provided by means of supermarket vouchers administered by UK Border Agency accommodation providers.
	The voucher system was open to abuse and fraud and there was evidence that vouchers were often traded for cash at reduced levels. The vouchers also presented poor value for money to the user with restricted retail outlets. The Azure pre-paid payment card was introduced in a phased roll out between November 2009 and February 2010 to tackle this.

Asylum: Finance

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated annual administrative cost is of the Azure card system used for payments to those awaiting asylum application determinations.

Damian Green: The Azure payment card is administered for UK Border Agency by Sodexo Ltd. The payment card was introduced in November 2009 and has therefore been in operation for only 10 months. The payment card scheme has been designed to be self-financing.
	The current forecasted annual running cost for the Azure payment card scheme is £353,000. However, fees generated by the commercial contracts Sodexo has negotiated with the various retailers, together with efficiency savings from UK Border Agency, will recoup the annual running costs.

Asylum: Finance

James Wharton: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether provision is made to ensure that persons receiving payments via the Azure card system are able to access small amounts of cash for items of expenditure for which the card is not suitable, with particular reference to bus tickets and other small purchases.

Damian Green: Subsistence payments via the Azure prepayment card are to be used to buy food and essential toiletries. There is no minimum limit on the cost of items that can be purchased with the Azure prepayment card as long as the supported person has sufficient funds on the card to pay for their intended purchase.
	The UK Border Agency endeavours to ensure with accommodation providers contracted to provide asylum support accommodation, that the distance to shops that accept the Azure prepayment card is not more than three miles from the supported person's accommodation. If the distance is further, or if a supported person is unable to walk a distance of up to three miles by reason of a physical impediment or for some other medical reason, the accommodation provider may make alternative transport arrangements, deliveries, or arrange for the supported person to be moved closer to the local supermarket.
	A supported person in receipt of support under section 4 support may also be eligible for additional services and facilities under the Immigration and Asylum (Provision of Services or Facilities) Regulations 2007. The additional services and facilities available include the power to arrange for the supply of facilities for travel to receive health care treatment and to register a birth. If a supported person has an exceptional specific need for facilities to travel for purposes that do not fall within the aforementioned qualifying journeys, this can be arranged if the supported person demonstrates that his/her need is sufficiently exceptional to warrant a grant. Application forms for additional services and facilities are available on the UK Border Agency website.

Asylum: Iran

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iranian asylum seekers have had their claims  (a) granted and  (b) refused since 2000.

Damian Green: The accompanying table shows the number of initial decisions broken down by grants of asylum, grants of Exceptional Leave to Remain (ELR), Humanitarian Protection (HP) and Discretionary Leave (DL) and refusals between 2000 and June 2010. Figures only include initial decisions on asylum applications and exclude all subsequent decisions.
	Information on asylum is published annually and quarterly in the Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom bulletin which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Research, Development and Statistics Directorate website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Initial decisions( 1,2 ) on asylum applications, excluding dependants, nationals of Iran, January 2000 to June 2010 
			  Principal applicants 
			  Period  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009( 3)  January to June 2010( 3) 
			 Recognised as refugees and granted asylum 390 575 395 110 70 70 90 210 230 235 220 
			 Granted exceptional leave, humanitarian protection or discretionary leave 255 305 145 115 230 385 270 215 220 165 70 
			 Refusals of asylum, exceptional leave, humanitarian protection and discretionary leave 2,815 5,120 2,420 2,930 3,590 2,850 1,850 1,665 1,355 1,700 875 
			 Total initial decisions 3,455 6,000 2,965 3,155 3,890 3,305 2,205 2,090 1,800 2,100 1,160 
			 (1) Figures rounded to the nearest five and may not sum to the totals shown because of independent rounding. (2) Information is of initial decisions, excluding the outcome of appeals or other subsequent decisions. (3) Provisional figures.

Asylum: Iran

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many failed Iranian asylum seekers have been returned to Iran since 2000.

Damian Green: The table shows the number of removals and voluntary departures to Iran of asylum cases for Iranian nationals from January 2004 to June 2010. Destination data have only been collated since 2004; data for earlier years are not available.
	The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK on a quarterly and annual basis, which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Removals and voluntary departures( 1,2,3)  to Iran of asylum cases, for Iranian nationals, January 2004 to June 2010 
			  Number of departures( 4,5) 
			   2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009( 6)  2010( 6)  (January to June) 
			 Asylum cases, number of departures 245 375 470 475 490 340 50 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest 5. (2) Includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after notifying the UK Border Agency of their intention to leave prior to their departure, persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the international Organization for Migration and since January 2005 persons who it has been established left the UK without informing the immigration authorities. (3) Figures include dependants. (4) Removals and voluntary departures recorded on the system as at the dates on which the data extracts were taken. (5) Destination as recorded on source database. (6) Provisional figures. Figures will under record due to data cleansing and data matching exercises that take place after the extracts are taken.

Borders: Personal Records

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she made of the performance of Raytheon prior to the termination of its contract to deliver the e-Borders programme.

Damian Green: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department was provided with extensive briefings on the Programme, including the performance of Raytheon, as well as the outcome of an independent review by the Office of Government Commerce.
	I would like to refer my hon. Friend to the written ministerial statement made on 22 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 44-45WS, regarding the termination of the e-Borders contract. This explained that the way the existing programme was developing gave rise to serious concern. Progress had been extremely disappointing. While some elements had been delivered, there was a succession of missed milestones coupled with issues of quality. Delivery of the next critical parts of the programme was already running at least 12 months late and on top of this there remained risks of further delays. Since July 2009 the supplier had been in breach of contract and, despite extensive negotiations, no agreement had been reached about a remedial plan.
	The supplier's performance had not been compliant with their contractual obligations and there was no confidence in their ability to address this situation.
	The Home Secretary took into account the importance of the Programme for National Security and therefore gave very careful consideration, in consultation with other senior ministerial colleagues, before taking the decision to terminate the contract.

Borders: Personal Records

David Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many consultants were employed on her Department's eBorders programme in  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09; what costs were incurred in employing such consultants in each year; and what the equivalent expenditure has been in 2010-11 to date.

Damian Green: The following table provides the numbers and costs of consultants and independent contractors employed by the e-Borders Programme since 2006:
	
		
			  Consultancy  Headcount  Costs (£) 
			 2006-07 103 10,046,869 
			 2007-08 81 9,601,330 
			 2008-09 53 10,651,890 
		
	
	The consultancy expenditure during 2010-11 for the first three months (April to June) has been £2,984,450.
	The periods covered saw the programme move from procurement of the strategic solution and provision of the Semaphore pilot system to the more complex activity to assure the design and delivery of the strategic solution. The fall in consultant and contractor headcount during this time did not deliver an equivalent reduction in cost since there was an associated change in the mix and type of consultancy support provided, along with a need to use more hours from individual consultants because of the pressures on the programme and the requirement for their specialist knowledge.

Borders: Personal Records

Robert Halfon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment was made of the UK Border Agency's e-Borders senior management team's experience of managing large and complex IT programmes.

Damian Green: Senior managers brought on to the e-Borders Programme underwent an application process that assessed a range of their skills and competencies, including project and programme management skills and experience of managing large and complex IT programmes. The senior management team has also had the benefit of professional advice and assistance throughout the programme from specialist consultants including Partnerships UK, KPMG and Deloitte Consulting.

Cannabis: Sales

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she plans to bring forward proposals to prohibit the sale of cannabis seeds.

James Brokenshire: The unauthorised cultivation of cannabis seeds and any subsequent supply and possession of cannabis is unlawful. There are no current plans to prohibit the sale of cannabis seeds.
	The National Policing Improvement Agency and the Association for Chief Police Officers in England and Wales and Northern Ireland "Practice Advice on Tackling Commercial Cultivation and Headshops" guidance document gives advice in relation to action to tackle the sale and promotion of cannabis cultivation equipment, including cannabis seeds. The guidance can be found at:
	www.npia.police.uk/en/docs/Cannabis_Cultivation_R.pdf

Cheshire Policy Authority: Publicity

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Cheshire Police Authority spent on each area-based edition of the Your Policing 2010 newspaper.

Nick Herbert: This is a matter for Cheshire police authority. The Home Office does not hold data on these figures, and therefore is unable to provide this information.

Departmental Billing

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of invoices from suppliers her Department paid within 10 days of receipt in July and August 2010.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office's performance information for paying suppliers within 10 day of receipt of a compliant invoice in July and August 2010 is:
	
		
			  Home Office-invoices paid within 10 days 
			   July  August 
			 Number of compliant invoices paid 2,007 1,667 
			 Number of compliant invoices paid within terms 1,891 1,592 
			 Percentage of compliant invoices paid within terms 94 96

Departmental Buildings

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much office space per employee her Department occupied in each year since 1997.

Nick Herbert: My Department's office space per employee data for the last thee years excluding executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies, is as follows:
	
		
			   Square metres 
			 2007-08 12.8 
			 2008-09 12.1 
			 2009-10 (1)12.5 
			 (1 )Provisional subject to validation. 
		
	
	In April 2008 annual benchmarking of the Government estate started with the results published in the State of the Estate reports on the OGC website. This information was not recorded prior to April 2008. The provisional data for 2009-10 compiled in July is provided.

Departmental Empty Property

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much her Department spent on vacant properties in each year since 1997.

Nick Herbert: From available records expenditure on vacant property held by the Department, exclusive of agencies and non-departmental public bodies, for the last five full financial years was:
	
		
			   £000 
			 2005-06 0.5 
			 2006-07 41 
			 2007-08 65 
			 2008-09 6.5 
			 2009-10 47 
		
	
	Records are not available before 2005-06 and would incur disproportionate cost to obtain. Vacant property is space capable of disposal by sale or re-letting.

Departmental Public Expenditure

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 25-28W, on departmental public expenditure, if she will break down by cost category the proposed savings from her Department's proposed expenditure on security and counter-terrorism.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office contributed £367 million in 2010-11 as part of the £6 billion in year cross government savings, of which £24 million were savings from the Department's security and counter terrorism budgets.
	I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to him on the 19 July 2010,  Official Report, columns 25-28W in which it was noted that, £10 million came from reductions to policing counter terrorism grants, and a further £14 million were savings from the security and counter terrorism budgets. The following details are the breakdown of the £14 million savings into cost categories.
	The planned savings breakdown is as follows:
	£8 million savings from reduced spend on contractors and contingent labour which includes consultancy costs;
	£3 million from austerity measures and procurement savings.
	These savings come directly from the overhead costs of the organisation and include savings from travel, conferences, and refreshments; and
	£3 million programme savings, involving a mix of efficiency savings and further prioritisation.

Departmental Research

Kris Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research projects commissioned by her Department in  (a) 2009 and  (b) 2010 have not had their results published.

Nick Herbert: The following list shows the social research commissioned externally in 2009 and 2010 that has not yet been published. These projects were all commissioned prior to May 2010. Many projects are still in progress; others are being quality assured and peer reviewed prior to being published in the Home Office Research Series.
	The Department is reviewing its research programme to ensure it matches the priorities of the coalition Government, including what new research is required.
	We plan to publish this research when it is complete in line with the Government's commitments to transparency in regard to making available information collected by Government except in the case where the Home Office Chief Scientific Advisor decides not to publish in a Home Office series on the grounds of
	"1. inadequate scientific quality following external peer review or
	2. on public interest grounds for example security concerns, where an unclassified summary document may be published with a classified version available where it is appropriate to do so, or
	3. for operational reasons where, in some cases, the Department may decide to publish only a summary of research and allow the more detailed research to be made available separately by, for instance allowing the contractors to publish.(1)".
	Some research commissioned in 2009 and 2010 will not be published on security grounds and is not included in the list.
	1 This was included in the Home Office response to the Government Office for Science: Science review of the Home Office and Ministry of Justice issued on 12 June 2008.
	 Social research commissioned by the Home Office in (a) 2009 and (b) 2010 that has not yet been published:
	 (a) Social research projects commissioned in 2009 by the Home Office
	An Evaluation of phase two Alcohol Arrest Referral Schemes
	Annual evaluation of projects under three European Commission funds for 2008-09, (i) An Evaluation of the Deaf Third Country Nationals Integration Project, (ii) An Evaluation of the Gateway Protection Programme, (iii) Evaluation of the Transnational Project between Ireland and the UK on the Resettlement of Refugees
	British Crime Survey Methodology Review 2009
	Crime costs of a quality-adjusted life year (two projects)
	Development of DNA Interpretation Standards
	Early Leavers from the Police Force
	Engaged Communities research
	Evaluation of Serious Organised Crime Task Force Programme
	Exploring public perceptions of confidence in the police and their local partners
	Feasibility study on surveying victims of sexual offences about satisfaction with the CJS
	Investigating the impact of demographic change on the Home Office
	Identifying police force surveys to measure public confidence in the police and local agencies
	Khat: social harms and legislation-a literature review
	Perceptions of social harms associated with khat use
	Links between homicide and organised crime: an exploratory study
	Neighbourhood Policing-Exemplar Sites
	Offending and drug use interventions-creating a drug data warehouse
	Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) on partnership working and its impact on reducing crime and anti social behaviour
	Resource to Quality Assure the Analysis of a Criminal Network (ERGM)
	Review of the delivery of the YCAP in intensive areas
	A review of the research evidence on organised crime
	Survey of Entry Clearance Officers & Managers
	Teaching methods that help build resilience to violent extremism
	The cost of terrorism in Northern Ireland
	The factors involved in the movement away from violent extremism and promising practices from youth gangs and religious cults
	The migrant survey: a feasibility study
	Understanding vulnerability and resilience in individuals to the influence of violent extremism
	Visa Decision Research, including Survey of Entry Clearance Officers and Managers and case-file analysis
	 (b) Social research projects commissioned in 2010 by the Home Office
	An update of a Systematic Review on the effects of alcohol price on alcohol-related crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour
	Partnership Peer Support Program (PPSS) Evaluation
	Al-Qaeda influenced radicalisation-an approach using Situational Action Theory
	Crimes future work
	REA on rehab & re-integration of drug-using offenders
	A Rapid Evidence Assessment: What works in reducing alcohol related crime, disorder and antisocial behaviour in the night-time economy and in public spaced
	Marriage and associated chain migration to the UK
	Economic impacts of alcohol pricing policy options in the UK
	Airside Workers Identity Card Evaluation
	Evaluation of Neighbourhood Agreements
	Valuing the security/privacy/inconvenience trade off
	Rapid Evidence Assessment on third sector organisations and their contribution to tackling crime

Departmental Training

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many external training courses were attended by staff of her Department in the last 12 months; and what the cost to the public purse was of each such course.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Deportation: EU Nationals

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many European Union citizens of each nationality were deported from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The following table shows the number of removals and voluntary departures for European Union nationals from 2005 to 2009.
	The Home Office publishes statistics on the number of persons removed or departed voluntarily from the UK on a quarterly and annual basis, which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Removals and voluntary departures( 1, 2, 3 ) for nationals of the European Union( 4) , 2005-09 
			  Number of departures( 5) 
			   2005  2006  2007  2008  2009( 6) 
			 Austria 5 5 10 5 5 
			 Belgium 45 20 40 40 30 
			 Bulgaria 285 280 25 20 35 
			 Cyprus 5 5 10 5 * 
			 Czech Republic 15 20 15 40 45 
			 Denmark 5 10 5 5 10 
			 Estonia 5 5 5 5 5 
			 Finland * * - 5 5 
			 France 130 100 110 100 90 
			 Germany 65 60 85 90 80 
			 Greece 10 10 10 10 5 
			 Hungary 15 10 10 15 20 
			 Ireland 45 50 35 10 10 
			 Italy 45 50 70 55 40 
			 Latvia 15 25 35 20 40 
			 Lithuania 140 80 80 100 125 
			 Luxembourg - - - * - 
			 Malta - * * * * 
			 Netherlands 120 75 165 130 100 
			 Poland 55 50 80 135 180 
			 Portugal 70 60 65 70 95 
			 Romania 2,325 1,920 200 185 245 
			 Slovakia 5 15 25 25 25 
			 Slovenia * * 5 * 5 
			 Spain 30 15 30 20 20 
			 Sweden 10 15 15 20 20 
			 Total EU 3,455 2,875 1,135 1,120 1,230 
			   
			  Selected other Europe  
			 Iceland - * - * - 
			 Liechtenstein - - - - - 
			 Norway 5 5 5 10 5 
			 Switzerland 5 5 5 10 * 
			 Total Europe 3,465 2,885 1,145 1,140 1,235 
			 1 Figures rounded to the nearest 5 (with - = 0, * = 1 or 2).  (2) Includes enforced removals, persons departing voluntarily after notifying the UK Border Agency of their intention to leave prior to their departure, persons leaving under Assisted Voluntary Return Programmes run by the International Organization for Migration and persons who it has been established left the UK without informing the immigration authorities.  (3) Figures include dependants.  (4) Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU on 1 January 2007.  (5) Removals and voluntary departures recorded on the system as at the dates on which the data extracts were taken.(  6) Provisional figures. Figures will under record due to data cleansing and data matching exercises that take place after the extracts are taken.

Detainees: Children

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what pilot schemes the UK Border Agency has introduced as part of the review of alternatives to child detention.

Damian Green: Following the Home Secretary's commitment to end the detention of children for immigration purposes the UK Border Agency is working to establish more effective ways of managing family returns without the need for detention in immigration removal centres. Through a new approach to families, the UK Border Agency is seeking to encourage greater compliance and increase the number of families who choose to return voluntarily. The new process is designed to give families every opportunity to comply with return and empower them to make their own preparations for departure.
	Two pilots are currently being conducted to develop and refine the new family returns process, one in the North West of England and one in London. Additionally, UK Border Agency enforcement teams across the country are changing the way they work in every family case to ensure that every effort is made to secure the departure of illegal migrant families without detention.

Detainees: Children

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many children with primary carers in immigration detention were  (a) in the care of (i) a parent and (ii) local authority children's services and  (b) in private fostering arrangements in the last 12 months; how many such parents or primary carers have been (A) released from detention and (B) removed from the UK; how many are still detained; in how many such cases of fostering or care by a parent have children's services departments (1) reported to the UK Border Agency and (2) acted upon child protection concerns over the care arrangements for the child;
	(2)  what steps  (a) her Department and  (b) the UK Border Agency takes to gather information on child protection issues from (i) children's services departments and (ii) the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service in cases where children of persons in immigration detention are in the care of another parent or are in private fostering arrangements and child protection concerns are raised; what other monitoring is undertaken of the welfare of such children; what steps are taken to gather information on child protection issues (A) before detention of that parent or primary carer and (B) at each detention review; and what mechanisms the UK Border Agency has to record and follow up on actions of relevant case owners in such cases.

Damian Green: The information requested in the question is not recorded centrally by the UK Border Agency and can be obtained only through examination of individual case records at disproportionate cost.

Detention Centres: Restraint Techniques

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what training on the control and restraint of adults over the age of 18  (a) each of the immigration detention centres and  (b) each company contracted to provide UK Border Agency escorts has purchased in each of the last five years; and from what sources such training was purchased.

Damian Green: Detention custody officers employed in all immigration removal centres or as escorts are trained in the use of force by control and restraint instructors.
	The control and restraint instructors are trained and annually accredited by instructors from the National Offenders Management Service (NOMS).
	The UK Border Agency purchases the training from NOMS; individual contract values are commercially confidential and releasing these figures may prejudice the commercial interest of the agency and its suppliers.
	The use of restraint is only ever used as a last resort to prevent a person from harming themselves, others or property or to ensure he or she complies with a reasonable requirement, including one to leave the UK. Its use must be justified and proportionate, and reported to the relevant UK Border Agency contract monitor.

Detention Centres: Restraint Techniques

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether  (a) staff in immigration detention centres and  (b) UK Border Agency escort providers are authorised to use the holds and techniques set out in the Physical Control in Care Manual on children under the age of 18.

Damian Green: The welfare of children in the care of the UK Border Agency is taken very seriously and in accordance with section 55 of the Borders, Citizenship and Immigration Act, which requires all UK Border Agency staff and contractors to carry out their functions with regard to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
	Staff in immigration removal centres (IRCs) and UK Border Agency escort providers are authorised and trained to use the holds and techniques set out in the Physical Control in Care (PCC) manual on children under the age of 18.
	Only those staff employed to work in IRCs where persons under 18 years of age may be detained and escort providers used to escort children under the age of 18 are trained and accredited to use PCC.
	The use of restraint on children is very rare in the immigration detention estate and during escort, and is normally restricted to prevent self-harm, injury to others or damage to property.
	The Government have made clear their commitment to end the detention of children and continues to work with their corporate partners to find an alternative that protects the welfare of children, without undermining UK immigration laws.

Entry Clearances

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many  (a) in-country and  (b) out-of-country permits were granted in respect of (i) dependants and (ii) principal migrants under each (A) tier and (B) route under her Department's immigration rules in each relevant year between 2006 and 2009.

Damian Green: Statistics on entry clearance visas (out-of-country) issued by applicant type in 2007 to 2009 and extensions of stay (in-country) granted by category and applicant type for 2006 to 2009 were published in the Home Office bulletin 'Control of Immigration Statistics United Kingdom, 2009' on 26 August 2010 in tables 1.1 and 4.1 respectively.
	Statistics on entry clearance visas (out-of-country) by summary category granted in 2006 to Q2 2010 are published in the 'Control of Immigration Quarterly Statistical Summary Q2 2010' in supplementary table 1b.
	The publications also cover admissions to the United Kingdom, asylum grants and grants of settlement. Copies are available in the Library of the House and on the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student visas for postgraduate study in England and Wales in the 2009-10 academic year were granted for citizens of Pakistan.

Damian Green: Information about student visas issued specifically for postgraduate study in the UK is not held centrally by the UK Border Agency and could be obtained only by inspecting individual records at a disproportionate cost. This applies to all student visa applicants regardless of their nationality.

Foreign Workers: Domestic Service

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what mechanism is in place at UK entry control points to ensure that those entering the UK are not destined to work in domestic service which is  (a) unpaid and  (b) paid less than the national minimum wage; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: All arriving passengers are subject to examination by a Border Force officer, and all categories of the Immigration Rules which permit employment (including domestic service and voluntary work) require a non-EEA national to obtain prior entry clearance before travelling to the United Kingdom. Even then, admission is not simply a formality once such entry clearance has been obtained; a Border Force officer may cancel that entry clearance and refuse leave to enter if there is evidence that deception has been used to obtain the clearance or a change of circumstances has removed the basis of it. Individuals arriving for non-employment purposes may, similarly, be refused entry if it is discovered that employment is their true intention.
	In the case of EEA nationals, the EEA regulations do not allow border officers to refuse admission solely on the basis of employment arrangements.
	However all border officers are trained in identifying the signs of trafficking, of which domestic servitude is a part. If a border officer has concerns about the employment arrangements of any passenger, steps will be taken to intervene to safeguard the potential victim and prosecute anyone concerned with the exploitation; the case will also be referred to other responsible authorities and partner agencies such as the police and social services.

Foreign Workers: Domestic Service

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of foreign nationals working in domestic service who are  (a) unpaid and  (b) paid less than the national minimum wage; and if she will make a statement.

Damian Green: We do not hold data on the salary arrangements of non-EEA nationals who have been admitted to the UK as domestic workers. However, prior entry clearance is mandatory for domestic workers and, as part of the entry clearance process, employers are asked to confirm that they will comply with the UK's national minimum wage legislation once they are in the UK.
	Non-EEA nationals may apply for leave to enter as a domestic worker in a private household or as a domestic worker in a diplomatic household. Since 27 November 2008, those seeking entry to work in diplomatic households must apply for entry as a temporary worker under tier 5 of the points based system (International Agreement category).
	Domestic workers in diplomatic households entering under tier 5 may be given leave to enter for up to 24 months. Domestic workers in private households will be given leave to enter for 12 months, unless their employer is visiting the UK in which case leave to enter is restricted to six months in line with the employer. All domestic workers may apply to extend their stay.
	The numbers of visas issued to domestic workers since 2004 are detailed in the following table. Reliable data for previous years are not held.
	
		
			  Domestic worker visas issued 2004-10 
			  Visa category  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010( 1) 
			 Domestic worker in private household (employer visiting) 15,663 15,550 16,302 15,013 14,749 13,152 10,777 
			 Domestic worker in private household 1,086 1,399 1,626 1,651 1,720 1,740 1,334 
			 Domestic worker in diplomatic household 227 236 329 253 191 - - 
			 Tier 5 temporary worker (International Agreement)(2) - - - - - 447 334 
			 Total 16,976 17,185 18,257 16,917 16,660 15,339 12,445 
			 (1) January to August (2) Replaced the domestic worker in diplomatic household category from 27 November 2008  Note: The data are based on management information. It is provisional and subject to change.

Fraud

Andrew Bridgen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the timetable is for the establishment of a single economic crime agency.

Danny Alexander: I have been asked to reply.
	In accordance with the coalition programme for government, the Government are examining options for the creation of an economic crime agency and will announce decisions in due course. As yet, no decisions have been taken on the agency's structure.

Human Trafficking: Convictions

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there have been for offences of human trafficking and forced labour under the Asylum and Immigration (Treatment of Claimants etc.) Act 2004 in  (a) 2009 and  (b) 2010.

Damian Green: Statistics held by the UK Human Trafficking Centre show that at 31 July there have been two convictions for trafficking for forced labour in 2009 and three convictions for conspiracy to traffic for forced labour in 2010.
	There are 41 cases still pending that arise from arrests of in 2009 and 2010.

Human Trafficking: Yorkshire and the Humber

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent estimate she has made of the number of illegal immigrants trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation who are resident in  (a) Yorkshire and  (b) Leeds.

Damian Green: holding answer 8 September 2010
	The latest national estimate of the number of victims of trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation is provided by the Acumen Report, produced by the Association of Chief Police Officers. This is a wide ranging study which estimated there are 2,600 victims in the UK.
	This report did not investigate victim's immigration status. Our best understanding is that victims will be a mixture of those who are in the UK legally, those who have entered legitimately and stayed on to work in prostitution and those who have entered the country through clandestine means.

Identity and Passport Service: Travel

Graham Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the reasons are for the amount spent on travel for employees at the Identity and Passport Service in  (a) 1997-98 and  (b) 2008-09.

Damian Green: The Identity and Passport Service (IPS) expanded considerably over the past 10 years: the Durham regional passport office opened in 2000; the Identity Card Programme joined (the then UK Passport Service) in 2006 to form IPS; a network of 67 passport interview offices was opened in 2007-08; the General Register Office joined IPS in 2008 and; significant programme development work for the former ID cards programme was undertaken from 2008.
	As a result, the number of people employed by IPS over the period and the number of IPS locations increased considerably leading to an increase in travel expenditure.
	A further breakdown of travel expenditure for specific years could be achieved only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration Controls: EU Nationals

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many EU citizens of each nationality have been refused entry to the UK in each of the last five years.

Damian Green: The following table shows the number of non-asylum passengers initially refused entry to the UK for European Union nationals from 2005 to 2009.
	The Home Office publishes statistics on the number non-asylum passengers initially refused entry at border control points on a quarterly and annual basis, which are available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	
		
			  Non-asylum passengers initially refused entry, for nationals of the European Union( 1,2) , 2005-09 
			   2005  2006  2007  2008  2009( 3) 
			 Austria 5 5 5 * 5 
			 Belgium 35 20 30 30 20 
			 Bulgaria 160 165 25 15 10 
			 Cyprus * * * * * 
			 Czech Republic 15 20 10 35 25 
			 Denmark 5 5 5 5 * 
			 Estonia 5 * * * * 
			 Finland - * - 5 5 
			 France 115 115 130 75 60 
			 Germany 40 50 45 45 45 
			 Greece 10 5 10 10 5 
			 Hungary 15 10 5 5 5 
			 Ireland 10 5 5 * 5 
			 Italy 50 45 75 30 25 
			 Latvia 10 10 20 5 10 
			 Lithuania 130 55 35 45 35 
			 Luxembourg - - - * - 
			 Malta - - - - * 
			 Netherlands 75 40 80 60 40 
			 Poland 50 40 35 40 35 
			 Portugal 40 45 30 25 35 
			 Romania 805 715 130 90 75 
			 Slovakia 5 15 25 15 10 
			 Slovenia * * * * 5 
			 Spain 15 10 10 5 5 
			 Sweden 5 10 10 10 5 
			 Total EU 1,600 1,390 720 550 465 
			   
			  Selected other Europe  
			 Iceland - * - - - 
			 Liechtenstein - - - - - 
			 Norway 5 * * 5 5 
			 Switzerland 5 5 5 5 5 
			 Total 1,610 1,395 730 560 475 
			 (1) Figures rounded to the nearest five (with '-' = 0, * = one or two). (2) Bulgaria and Romania joined the EU on 1 January 2007. (3) Provisional figures.  Note: Includes cases dealt with at juxtaposed controls.

Members: Correspondence

Michael Meacher: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reasons she did not reply personally to the letter from the right hon. Member for Oldham West and Royton to her of 23 July 2010 on the ePassport contract award.

Damian Green: holding answer 8 September 2010
	On specific matters, in this case related to a sensitive commercial and procurement issue, it is appropriate and common practice that the most senior and qualified civil servant would respond on behalf of the Minister.
	John Collington, in his capacity as Group Commercial Director for the Home Office and on my behalf responded direct to Mr George Buckley's letter to me of 14 July 2010. As you requested in your letter of 23 July 2010, a copy of the response to Mr George Buckley was copied to you.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects her Department to respond to the letter of 13 July 2010 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay on a constituent, Mrs Morrision.

Nick Herbert: A reply was sent on 9 September 2010.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 7 July 2010 from the hon. Member for Basildon and Billericay on Councillor Frank Tomlin.

James Brokenshire: A reply was sent on 9 September 2010.

Members: Correspondence

Gerald Kaufman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she plans to reply to the letter of 29 July 2010 from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Saddia Hamid.

Damian Green: I wrote to the right hon. Member on 7 September 2010.

Police: Bureaucracy

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations she has received on the proportion of police officers' time spent on administrative tasks.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 8 September 2010
	I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Stratford-on-Avon (Nadhim Zahawi) on 6 September 2010,  Official Report, columns 6-7.

Police: Ports

Russell Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions her Department had with  (a) Dumfries and Galloway constabulary and  (b) local agencies in Dumfries and Galloway prior to the decision to reduce UK Border Agency funding for ports police in Stranraer.

Damian Green: holding answer 9 September 2010
	The UK Border Agency (UKBA) officials have had ongoing discussions with the Scottish Justice Minister, the Chief Constable of Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary, the Counter Terrorist Lead for Scotland and Scottish Government officials to inform them about UKBA support at West of Scotland ports.

Security: Expenditure

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how much was spent on security for all individuals and groups entitled to protection paid from the public purse in the last five financial years;
	(2)  how much her Department has spent on security for Tony Blair in each year since June 2007.

Nick Herbert: The Dedicated Security Post (DSP) grant provided by the Home Office is a contribution to fund specialist police roles which relate exclusively to the protection of members of the Royal Family and their residences; and the protection of public figures, and their official and private residences. In 2009-10, £132 million was spent under the DSP grant. For 2010-11, the DSP grant is £128 million.
	Before 2009-10, the DSP grant also included a contribution to Special Branch policing at ports, counter-terrorism security advisers and policing of critical national infrastructure sites which are now funded by the counter-terrorism specific grant. An audited, disaggregated breakdown for the DSP spends is not available.
	We do not provide detailed information regarding the allocation of the DSP grant to individual police forces, or the amount of contribution for each individual, or otherwise provide a further cost breakdown, as disclosure of such information could compromise the integrity of these arrangements and affect the security of the individuals concerned.

UK Border Agency: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will arrange for the UK Border Agency to respond to the letter of 26 August 2010 from the hon. Member for Walsall North, reference R1117671.

Damian Green: holding answer 9 September 2010
	The UK Border Agency wrote to the hon. Member on 27 August 2010.

UK Border Agency: Training

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether security staff at UK Border Agency offices receive training in diversity and equality awareness; and what plans she has for future such training.

Damian Green: Yes. All security staff employed at UK Border Agency offices receive training in diversity and equality awareness.
	We are currently reviewing the training given to security personnel to ensure that customer care standards are being met.

Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children have been detained at Yarl's Wood Detention Centre since it was rebuilt following fire damage; and how many children were in the family unit at Yarl's Wood on the latest date for which figures are available.

Damian Green: Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) re-opened in September 2003 and has provided accommodation for children who are part of a family group since January 2005. Information on the number of children detained at that centre from 2005 can be provided only by examination of individual records at disproportionate cost.
	In August 2009 the Control of Immigration Quarterly Statistical publication was expanded to include management information on persons entering detention, total number of persons leaving detention and the number of families with children held in detention. This information is available by age (to separately identify children), and will be published quarterly in the future; however data for years earlier than 2009 will remain unavailable.
	Between January 2009 and June 2010, 935 children entered Yarl's Wood IRC and were held solely under Immigration Act powers.
	Published data, using rounding conventions to ensure that the identity of the individuals is safeguarded, show that as at 30 June 2010 there were less than three people detained solely under Immigration Act powers at Yarl's Wood removal centre who were recorded as being less than 18 years of age. This figure includes any cases where the age is disputed at the time.
	Information on children detained solely under Immigration Act powers relating to the second quarter 2010 are available in the Control of Immigration: Quarterly Statistical Summary, United Kingdom, April to June 2010 in the Library of the House and the Home Office's Research, Development and Statistics website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/immigration-asylum-stats.html
	The Government have made clear their commitment to end the detention of children and continue to work with their corporate partners to find an alternative that protects the welfare of children, without undermining UK immigration laws.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Departmental Billing

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many payments to suppliers were made by  (a) his Department and  (b) its non-departmental public body (i) within 30 days of, (ii) over 30 days after, (iii) over 60 days after and (iv) over 90 days after the date of invoice in the latest period for which figures are available.

Owen Paterson: Following the completion of devolution on 12 April 2010, the period from 12 April to31 July 2010 is the latest period for which figures are available.
	The information requested is shown in the following table for my Department and its Executive NDPB, the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission.
	
		
			  Payments to suppliers 
			  Number 
			   NIO  NDPB 
			 Within 30 days of date of invoice 3,623 194 
			 Between 30 and 60 days of date of invoice 7 0 
			 Between 61 and 90 days of date of invoice 0 0 
			 Over 90 days after date of invoice 1 0

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

Business

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his timetable is for implementing the local enterprise partnerships strategy; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: We received 58 outline proposals for local enterprise partnerships in response to the joint letter from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, dated 29 June.
	Over the coming weeks Ministers will consider the proposals in detail, looking at how they will support economic growth, before providing feedback to partnerships ahead of the publication of the White Paper on sub-national economic growth and the introduction of the Localism Bill.

Business: East of England

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether he has received representations from the East of England Space for Ideas Business Group on its Blueprint for Growth Action Plan.

Edward Davey: The Department has received two representations from the Chair of the East of England Space for Ideas Business Forum on its Blueprint for Growth Action Plan.

Business: Tyne and Wear

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses operating in Washington and Sunderland West constituency contacted Business Link during 2009-10.

Mark Prisk: The following table shows the total number of unique customers within the Washington and Sunderland West area that had meaningful interaction with the Business Link service during 2009/2010. This is then broken down into pre-starts, start-up and established businesses.
	
		
			  Customer Type  Number of unique customers within Washington and Sunderland West 
			 Total 845 
			 Pre-start 323 
			 Start-Up 93 
			 Established 429

Business: Tyne and Wear

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many businesses operating in Washington and Sunderland West constituency received funding from one of his Department's schemes in 2009-10.

Mark Prisk: The following table shows the number of businesses supported in 2009/10 through the Government schemes Grant for Business Investment (GBI), and Grants for Research and Development (GRD) in Washington and Sunderland West constituencies.
	
		
			   GBI  GRD  Total 
			 Number of companies supported 21 5 26 
			 Number of grant payments made 23 10 33 
			 Value of grant payments made ( £ ) 62,041 75,049 937,090 
		
	
	The following table shows the number of contracts issued to entrepreneurs and businesses by the North East Business Link service's North East England Investment Centre (NEEIC) and defrayed within the Washington and Sunderland West area during 2009/2010. This is then broken down into pre-start, start-ups and established businesses.
	
		
			  Customer Type  Number investment contracts issued and defrayed within Washington and Sunderland  West during 2009/ 10  Value of defrayed contracts within Washington and Sunderland  West during 2009/ 10  ( £ ) 
			 Total 80 289,683 
			 Pre-start 33 91,262 
			 Start-Up 17 39,556 
			 Established 30 158,865 
		
	
	These schemes are delivered locally by the Regional Development Agency, One North East and Business and Enterprise North East.

Departmental Allowances

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors spent on  (a) reimbursement of staff expenses and  (b) the 10 largest staff expense reimbursement claims in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: Since 2003, the Department and its predecessors spent the following amounts on reimbursement of staff expenses:
	
		
			  Calendar year  Amount (£) 
			 2003 1,618,124 
			 2004 1,979,416 
			 2005 1,981,998 
			 2006 1,681,870 
			 2007 1,564,972 
			 2008 1,695,507 
			 2009 1,694,782 
			 2010(1) 874,211 
			 (1 )To end August. 
		
	
	Since 2003, the ten largest claims in year are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
			   2003  2004  2005  2006  2007  2008  2009  2010 
			 1st 9,736.00 7,053.16 3,490.65 3,873.10 5,035.70 9,612.00 5,865.00 2,584.27 
			 2nd 3,314.00 4,412.65 3,271.75 3,286.20 3,944.38 4,140.92 2,549.30 2,268.90 
			 3rd 2,870.00 2,341.50 3,013.50 3,221.60 3,441.85 3,143.20 2,285.66 2,030.79 
			 4th 2,573.00 2,325.60 2,832.61 3,112.46 3,144.70 2,937.86 2,272.58 1,901.46 
			 5th 2,226.36 1,970.08 2,166.66 2,269.60 2,562.00 2,501.70 2,215.33 1,837.92 
			 6th 1,998.70 1,728.00 2,087.90 2,166.66 2,500.70 2,440.25 2,115.75 1,627.72 
			 7th 1,859.20 1,708.70 1,963.10 1,927.25 2,168.95 2,422.30 2,051.90 1,486.30 
			 8th 1,808.99 1,704.70 1,922.00 1,927.25 2,010.45 2,395.59 2,000.35 1,453.40 
			 9th 1,709.92 1,533.38 1,875.24 1,673.00 1,844.35 2,367.42 1,855.00 1,427.70 
			 10th 1,696.70 1,508.74 1,696.95 1,658.30 1,694.70 2,034.00 1,805.05 1,364.89 
		
	
	Figures prior to 2003 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Industrial Disputes

Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what sums were deducted from employee wages in  (a) his Department and its predecessors,  (b) its agencies and  (c) other public bodies within its area of responsibility as a result of strike action in each year since 1990; and how many such employees were dismissed as a result of such action in each such year.

Edward Davey: You may wish to note that the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) was created on Friday 5 June 2009 from the merger of the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Department of Innovation, Universities and Skills (DIUS) which ceased to exist from that date. Therefore, we have responded to your request as from that date.
	The information is as follows:
	(a) The BIS payroll system and those of its predecessors, does not record deductions for strike action as a separate code from other deductions. Therefore it is not possible to produce a report to distinguish deductions in relation to strike action, from other deductions.
	(b) No one has been dismissed in BIS or any predecessor Departments for taking strike action.
	 Letter from Gareth Jones, dated 7 September 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of Companies House to your Parliamentary Question tabled 3 September 2010, UIN 13915 to the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	Companies House's financial records do not go back as far as 1997. For each year for which we have figures, the sums deducted from employee's wages as a result of strike action were as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 2006-07 32,572 
			 2008-09 (1)- 
			 2009-10 78,300 
			 (1 )Not applicable. 
		
	
	Companies House has never dismissed any employees as a result of strike action.
	 Letter from Stephen Speed, dated 7 September 2010:
	The Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has asked me to reply to your question what sums were deducted from employee wages in (a) his Department and its predecessors, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies within its area of responsibility as a result of strike action in each year since 1990; and how many such employees were dismissed as a result of such action in each such year.
	With regard to the question relating to what sums were deducted from employees' wages in The Insolvency Service as a result of strike action in each year since 1990, this information is not held centrally by the Insolvency Service and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.
	The Insolvency Service has not dismissed any employees as a result of strike action in each such year.
	 Letter from Peter Mason, dated 7 September 2010:
	I am responding in respect of the National Measurement Office (formerly National Weights and Measures Laboratory) to your Parliamentary Question tabled on 03/09/2010 [reference 2010/1237] to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, asking what sums were deducted from employee wages in as a result of strike action in each year since 1990; and how many employees were dismissed as a result of such action in each such year.
	Our finance records show that there have been no stoppages for the last 7 financial years. Any records prior to April 2003 would have been destroyed in accordance with records management policy. However it is our understanding, based on the recollections of the Senior Management team here, that no employee of the NMO or its predecessor has been involved in strike action since at least 1992.
	 Letter from Geoff Russell, dated 9 September 2010:
	I am replying on behalf of the Skills Funding Agency to your Parliamentary question tabled on 3 September 2010 (UIN 13915). To ask the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, what sums were deducted from employee wages in (a) his Department and its predecessors, (b) its agencies and (c) other public bodies within its area of responsibility as a result of strike action in each year since 1990; and how many such employees were dismissed as a result of such action in each such year.
	The Skills Funding Agency was set up as an agency of BIS on 1 April 2010 and has not in the last 5 months had any strike action.
	 Letter from John Alty, dated 10 September 2010:
	  House of Commons Parliamentary Question: 2010/1237
	I am responding in respect of the Intellectual Property Office to your Parliamentary Question tabled 03/09/2010, to the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The IPO has only been able to retrieve data from 2004. The breakdown shown below is based on days lost.
	
		
			   £ deducted 
			 2004 13,455 
			 2007 14,552 
			 2010 14,003 
		
	
	No employees have been dismissed as a result of taking part in strike action.

Departmental Public Consultation

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to increase the involvement of young members of the public in the making of decisions that affect them taken by  (a) Ministers in his Department,  (b) officials in his Department and  (c) public bodies which fall within his Department's area of responsibility.

Edward Davey: Young people are involved in policy development in a variety of ways across BIS, both through formal and regular meetings, and via more informal and ad hoc channels. Examples include the following:
	In July we launched the Young Apprenticeship Ambassadors Network-a group of current and former apprentices, aged between 16-28-who feed their views and knowledge of Apprenticeships into the National Apprenticeship Service.
	The National Union of Students (NUS) is involved in policy thinking on skills and the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has recently appointed the NUS President as a formal Observer to their Board.
	We are co-funding the Young People's Learning Agency Online Learner Panel during 2010-11. This is a new platform for learner engagement which allows policymakers quickly and effectively to access regionally and nationally representative views on policies and services. Ministers have endorsed official use of the panel and are currently considering its use for their own engagement with learners. The panel is available to all Government Departments and public bodies who wish to engage with learners.
	We continue to look for opportunities to involve young people more in relevant areas of policy making-particularly those of higher education, further education and skills.

Employment

Charles Walker: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he plans to take to ensure that the UK retains a flexible labour market; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Government are committed to building on the UK's flexible labour market model. We will ensure that employment law plays its part in the Government's strategy for sustainable growth.

EU Law

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many officials in his Department work  (a) full-time and  (b) for most of their time on the negotiation, implementation or administration of EU legislation and consequent policies.

Edward Davey: The EU is relevant to a wide range of policy areas and to the work of many Government officials across HM Government Departments.
	Within BIS, officials working specifically on EU business total around 135. In addition, there are also BIS seconded national experts working on priority policy areas in the European institutions in Brussels and on occasion other EU member states, currently around half a dozen.

Export Credit Guarantees

Douglas Carswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the monetary value was of export credits and other guarantees extended to businesses in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what proportion supported trade in  (a) defence manufactured goods and services and  (b) other goods and services.

Edward Davey: A list of the UK exporters supported by ECGD in 2009-10 is set out in the Department's annual review, copies of which have been deposited in the Libraries of the House. The review is also available on ECGD's website.
	In 2009-10 ECGD supported £2.21 billion of new business. Around 1% of this related to defence business.

Foreign Investment in UK: Yorkshire and the Humber

David Blunkett: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the amount of inward investment in Yorkshire and the Humber attributable to the work of  (a) UK Trade and Investment and its predecessor bodies and  (b) Yorkshire Forward since 1999.

Mark Prisk: From the financial year 1999/2000 to the financial year 2009/2010 inclusive a total of 717 foreign direct investment projects was recorded by UKTI (or its predecessor bodies) in the Yorkshire and Humber region. A total of 436 were assisted by some combination of Yorkshire Forward and UKTI (or predecessor), which breaks down as follows: (i) UKTI and Yorkshire Forward jointly: 91; (ii) UKTI alone: 58; (iii) Yorkshire Forward alone: 287.
	HM Government funds the work of the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) through the RDAs' Single Budget, which is administered by the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills. UKTI is one of the Government Departments which contributes to the RDAs' Single Budget. UKTI's contribution is specifically intended to fund the foreign direct investment work of the RDAs, including Yorkshire Forward, as part of the UKTI-led national effort. UKTI's estimated contribution to Yorkshire Forward in the financial years 1999/2000 to 2009/10 inclusive was £22.8 million, 14.7% of the total of £155.1 million paid by UKTI into the RDA's Single Budget during this period.

Free School Meals: Students

Edward Balls: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many pupils eligible for free school meals took up a place at each university in each year from 1995-96 to 2004-05.

David Willetts: The information requested is not available for the academic years specified.

Higher Education Funding Council for England: Operating Costs

Nicky Morgan: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the  (a) administration and  (b) running costs of the Higher Education Funding Council for England were in the most recent financial year for which figures are available.

David Willetts: As published in the Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) Annual Report and Accounts for 2009-10, its total budget for administration was £18,560,000, of which £11,992,000 was for staffing costs. HEFCE spends 0.2% of its total budget on administration.
	HEFCE's admin budget is stated each year in its published accounts. As a proportion of its overall budget its admin spend is much lower than other comparable bodies. As part of the Chancellor's statement on 24 March, HEFCE along with other BIS NDPBs has been asked to reduce its admin budget for 2010-11 by at least 11%.

Higher Education: Admissions

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which 20 universities admitted the highest  (a) absolute number and  (b) proportion of students from socio-economic classes four to seven in the latest period for which figures are available.

David Willetts: The 20 English higher education institutions which admitted the highest number and proportion of UK-domiciled full-time first degree entrants from socio-economic classes four to seven are shown in the tables. Figures are provided for the 2008/09 academic year and are taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency's performance indicators in higher education. Further information is available at the following link:
	http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/category/2/32/141/
	Performance indicators for the 2009/10 academic year should become available from the Higher Education Statistics Agency in April 2011.
	
		
			  Table 1: English higher education institutions with the highest number of young( 1 ) UK-domiciled full-time first degree entrants from age-adjusted NS-SEC classes four to seven, academic year 2008/09 
			  Institution  Number 
			 Sheffield Hallam University 1,875 
			 The Manchester Metropolitan University 1,730 
			 The Nottingham Trent University 1,600 
			 Leeds Metropolitan University 1,590 
			 Liverpool John Moores University 1,330 
			 The University of Manchester 1,330 
			 De Montfort University 1,275 
			 The University of Northumbria at Newcastle 1,270 
			 The University of Plymouth 1,270 
			 University of Hertfordshire 1,225 
			 University of the West of England, Bristol 1,180 
			 Kingston University 1,175 
			 The University of Leeds 1,130 
			 The University of Greenwich 1,085 
			 The University of Portsmouth 1,070 
			 The University of Central Lancashire 1,055 
			 Birmingham City University 985 
			 The University of Huddersfield 925 
			 The University of Birmingham 910 
			 The University of Wolverhampton 895 
			 (1) Refers to entrants aged under 21.   Notes:  1. Numbers are rounded to the nearest five.   2. NS-SEC: National Statistics Socio-economic Classification.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) performance indicators in higher education in the UK, 2008/09. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: English higher education institutions with the highest percentage of young( 1 ) UK-domiciled full-time first degree entrants from age-adjusted NS-SEC classes four to seven, academic year 2008/09 
			  Institution  Percentage 
			 Harper Adams University College 58.4 
			 London Metropolitan University 57.5 
			 The University of Greenwich 56.2 
			 The University of Wolverhampton 53.8 
			 The University of Bradford 52.9 
			 Writtle College 52.9 
			 The University of Bolton 52.3 
			 University College Plymouth St Mark and  St John 51.2 
			 University College Birmingham 50.5 
			 The University of Teesside 50.4 
			 London South Bank University 49.0 
			 Thames Valley University 48.6 
			 Middlesex University 48.1 
			 Newman University College 47.6 
			 University of Bedfordshire 47.5 
			 University Campus Suffolk 47.5 
			 The University of East London 46.9 
			 Liverpool Hope University 45.8 
			 Birmingham City University 45.2 
			 University of Cumbria 44.9 
			 The University of Sunderland 44.9 
			 (1) Refers to entrants aged under 21.   Notes:  1. Percentages are given to one decimal place.  2. NS-SEC: National Statistics Socio-economic Classification.   Source:  Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) performance indicators in higher education in the UK, 2008/09.

Higher Education: Admissions

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what account he plans to take of the Aim Higher document entitled Research with Young People into Attitudes Towards the Possibility of Increases in HE Tuition Fees; and if he will make a statement.

David Willetts: Aimhigher Partnerships will, from time to time, research the views of young people on a range of issues to help inform the delivery of support and advice to young people. This report is a helpful contribution to the wider body of research in highlighting the importance of access to high quality information, which young people need to make well informed decisions about their futures.
	The need to attract more students from disadvantaged backgrounds into higher education is written into the coalition programme for government. Lord Browne, who will present proposals to Government this autumn following his independent review of higher education funding and student finance, has already stated that a guiding principle is to ensure that talent, rather than the ability to pay, determines participation in higher education. We will await Lord Browne's report and judge its proposals against the criteria set out in the coalition agreement.

Higher Education: Admissions

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the number of young people from the most deprived communities entering higher education in  (a) Liverpool Wavertree constituency and  (b) England in (i) 1997 and (ii) 2010.

David Willetts: The numbers and proportions of young first degree entrants from low participation neighbourhoods to higher education institutions in England are provided in the table. Figures are provided for the 1997/98, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09 academic years. The methodology used for calculating the numbers of entrants from low participation neighbourhoods changed in 2006/07 and, therefore, figures from 2006/07 onwards are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.
	
		
			  Young full-time first degree entrants( 1)  from low participation neighbourhoods .  English higher education institutions. Academic years 1997/98, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08 and 2008/09 
			  Academic year  Number  Percentage 
			 1997/98(2) 19,485 11.4 
			 2005/06(2) 26,560 13.5 
			 2006/07(3) 19,735 9.6 
			 2007/08(3) 21,025 9.9 
			 2008/09(3) 23,255 10.2 
			 (1) Covers UK-domiciled entrants under the age of 21. (2 )Low participation neighbourhood (LPN) classified as an area which had a young higher education (HE) participation level which was less than two thirds of the national average young participation rate. (3) LPN classification based on the bottom fifth of census area statistics wards when ranked by young HE participation rate.  Note: Numbers are rounded to the nearest five and percentages are provided to one decimal place.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) performance indicators in higher education 
		
	
	This is the latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) performance indicators in higher education. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year should become available from HESA in April 2011. More information about the HESA performance indicators can be found at the following link:
	http://www.hesa.ac.uk/index.php/content/category/2/32/141/
	Constituency-level information on the numbers of young people from the most deprived communities who enter higher education is not available in existing HESA publications.

Higher Education: Anti-Semitism

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what progress has been made by his Department on the continuance of the higher education sub-group of the cross-Government working group on anti-Semitism; what discussions he has had since July with members of the Jewish community about this group; and if he will make a statement. [R]

David Willetts: I have had no discussions since July on this issue but I am due to meet with representatives of the Jewish community and the HE sector to discuss the work of the BIS Anti-Semitism and HE Group.
	There is no place for racism of any form, including anti-Semitism, in higher education, whether on campus or in student unions. Universities have access to a strong legislative framework and guidance to help them deal effectively with instances of intolerance, racism and harassment in their institutions. Government would expect them to vigorously tackle these issues when they arise and has supported institutions with key guidance on promoting good campus relations in the sector.

Higher Education: Finance

David Lammy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills pursuant to the answer of 7 July 2010,  Official Report, column 320W, on higher education: finance, which budgetary headings will be affected by the £118 million reduction in the University Modernisation Fund in 2010-11.

David Willetts: The details of changes to the Higher Education Funding Council for England's (HEFCE) budget for 2010-11 were set out in our letter of 26 June 2010. It is available on the HEFCE website at:
	http://www.hefce.ac.uk/news/HEFCE/2010/grant1011/revised.htm
	It represents an increase in HEFCE teaching grant compared with the budget for 2010-11 set out in the previous HEFCE grant letter of December 2009.

Higher Education: Student Numbers

Luciana Berger: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many young people were registered for study at a university  (a) in 1997 and  (b) in May 2010.

David Willetts: The latest information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) shows in the 1997/98 academic year, there were 583,540 young (under 21) undergraduate students enrolled in UK higher education institutions. This compares to 788,745 in the 2008/09 academic year. Data for the 2010/11 academic year will be available in January 2012.

Higher Education: West Midlands

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students from  (a) Coventry and  (b) the West Midlands commenced study at a Russell Group University in each year since 1997.

David Willetts: The latest available information from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) is shown in the table. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year will be available in January 2011.
	
		
			  Entrants( 1)  to Russell Group Institutions from Coventry local authority( 2)  and West Midlands Government Office Region UK Higher Education Institutions: Academic Years 1997/98 to 2008/09 
			  Academic Year  Coventry  West Midlands 
			 1997/98 515 8,645 
			 1998/99 530 8,645 
			 1999/2000 520 9,150 
			 2000/01 570 7,680 
			 2001/02 660 11,100 
			 2002/03 700 11,635 
			 2003/04 740 9,565 
			 2004/05 740 10,750 
			 2005/06 810 10,415 
			 2006/07 785 10,395 
			 2007/08 1,215 11,160 
			 2008/09 1,430 12,380 
			 (1) Covers entrants to all levels and modes of study. (2) Local authority data is derived from postcode and therefore excludes students whose postcode information is either missing or invalid.  Notes:  Figures are based on 1 December snapshot and have been rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA).

Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many claims that were rejected under the re-opened Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme were not successful because they did not meet revised qualification criteria.

Edward Davey: To date 631 claims have been successful under the new Icelandic water trawlermen compensation scheme and 2,650 have been unsuccessful, of which 1,510 were rejected because they did not meet the qualification criteria under the new scheme-in 568 cases the trawlerman did not have any service on Icelandic vessels on or after 1 January 1974 and in 942 cases the trawlerman did not have two years aggregate service on Icelandic vessels during the four years of the Cod Wars (1 January 1973 to 31 December 1976). We are still processing claims where probate is an issue and claims where limited or no evidence has been provided.

Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department allocated for the re-opened Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme; how much of this allocation has been spent; and whether the surplus is still available pending  (a) the outcome of appeals against determinations and  (b) further investigation by the Parliamentary Ombudsman.

Edward Davey: The Department will continue to provide for and make whatever payments are necessary to meet claims under the 2009 compensation scheme. Payments made to end-August 2010 total £3.8 million.

Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the applicants for compensation under the Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme listed in Annex C of the Parliamentary Ombudsman's Second Report, Session 2006-07, HC 313, have been awarded additional compensation under the revised scheme.

Edward Davey: Yes. All five of the claimants covered by the ombudsman's 2007 report have been awarded additional payments under the new scheme.

Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what discussions he had with former trawlermen prior to introducing the revised qualification criteria for the re-opened Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme.

Edward Davey: The Department consulted widely on the scheme last year. The consultation exercise ran for 12 weeks and nearly 500 responses were received. The Government published a statement on the consultation exercise in June 2010 and a copy of this can be found at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/policies/employment-matters/strategies/trawlermen

Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme

Alan Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the effect on the number of rejected applications of the revisions to the qualifying criteria under the re-opened Icelandic-Water Trawlermen Compensation Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: The Government believe that the new scheme delivers the Government's objective of compensating former trawlermen for the loss of their livelihoods following the Cod War Treaties of the 1970s, and that we have met in full the recommendations made by the parliamentary ombudsman in the 2007 report.
	Details of the new scheme were set out clearly in our consultation paper last spring.

Industrial Disputes

Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what categories of worker are prohibited from participating in industrial action; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: Police officers, prison officers, members of the armed forces and merchant seamen (while at sea) are prohibited by statute or disciplinary regulations from participating in industrial action. Other workers' ability to strike may be limited by their contracts of employment and/or the terms of any collective agreement that is in place with respect to their employment.
	The Government have no plans to change industrial action law.

Insolvency

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the average time taken to settle a liquidation case was in the latest period for which figures are available; and whether he plans to bring forward legislative proposals for a time limit on the settlement of such cases.

Edward Davey: Notifications of the conclusion of a liquidation are sent by liquidators to Companies House, and are publicly available. Companies House does not however collate statistics on the length of proceedings. Research conducted by the Insolvency Service and published in 2008 suggests that the average length of a liquidation is around 2 to 2.5 years.
	I have no plans to bring forward legislative proposals for a time limit on the settlement of liquidation cases.

Languages: Higher Education

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students enrolled in foreign language courses at universities in  (a) England,  (b) Sussex and  (c) Brighton and Hove in each year from 2002 to 2009.

David Willetts: The number of students enrolled on modern foreign language courses at higher education institutions in England, the university of Sussex and the university of Brighton are shown in the table. The figures in the answer are taken from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) student record and are provided for the academic year 2002/03 to 2008/09. Figures for the 2009/10 academic year will become available from HESA in January 2011.
	
		
			  Enrolments( 1)  in modern foreign languages( 2)  at higher education institutions in England( 3) , the university of Sussex and the university of Brighton, academic year 2002/03 to 2008/09 
			  Academic year  England  University of Sussex( 4)  University of Brighton( 4) 
			 2002/03 47,420 355 940 
			 2003/04 45,625 370 845 
			 2004/05 43,830 395 715 
			 2005/06 46,170 385 740 
			 2006/07 45,390 370 825 
			 2007/08 41,715 410 465 
			 2008/09 40,455 405 450 
			 (1) Covers postgraduate and undergraduate students of all domiciles enrolled on full-time and part-time courses. (2) Covers: French, German, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian and European, and European studies. Chinese, Japanese, South Asian, Other Asian, African, Modern Middle Eastern, American and Australasian studies. (3) Excludes the Open university due to inconsistencies in their coding of subjects across the time series. (4) Includes foreign language enrolments in French, German, Italian and Spanish studies.  Note: Figures are based on a HESA standard registration population and are rounded to the nearest five.  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) Student Record.

Local Enterprise Partnerships: Further Education

Paul Farrelly: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills which of the proposals for local enterprise partnerships received by his Department to date include further education colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Davey: We received 58 outline proposals for local enterprise partnerships in response to the joint letter from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, dated 29 June.
	The proposals received identify the variety of challenges facing individual local economies and put forward innovative ways of tackling them-reflecting the importance of allowing local areas to determine their own economic development and drive private sector job growth. Proposed partnerships include a range of bodies, including colleges and universities as well as other organisations.
	Partnerships are being encouraged to publish their proposals on their respective websites.

Public Sector: Collective Bargaining

Sajid Javid: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what collective bargaining agreements are in operation in the public sector; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: I have been asked to reply.
	In central Government, for grades below the senior civil service, each Department determines the pay arrangements that suit their business needs (within Treasury and Cabinet Office guidance on public sector pay policy) and separately negotiates the details of these proposals with unions representing their employees.
	In local government, the National Joint Council for Local Government Services, made up of employer and trade union representatives, determines the pay and terms of conditions of employment for most local government services' workers. Negotiations are based on an agreed national framework with potential for local modification to suit local service requirements. A number of councils have opted out of the national framework and pursue their own local collective bargaining agreements.

Regional Development Agencies: Redundancy

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills in what monetary range he expects severance payments made to staff in regional development agencies to fall.

Mark Prisk: Any severance payments will be made in accordance with the Civil Service Compensation Scheme that is in place at the time staff are made redundant through the transition phase across the regional development agencies until closure.
	Changes to the Compensation Scheme, which will determine the terms of any severance package to staff, are currently being debated in the House and will be introduced if it obtains Royal Assent.
	The monetary value is difficult to determine at this point in time; severance payments are dependent on individual lengths of service and the terms appropriate to exits when they take place.

Regulation: Public Opinion

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the public will be able to challenge the worst regulations applicable to organisations other than businesses.

Edward Davey: My right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister launched the Your Freedom website in July this year. This website provided the public with the opportunity to challenge regulations on civil liberties, unnecessary laws and those impacting business and civil society organisations.
	The Your Freedom website received over 14,000 suggestions concerning a wide range of organisations. These ideas are now being considered by officials across the Government and relate to a wide range of issues, organisations and sectors.
	This Department's particular focus is to encourage growth, innovation and entrepreneurship in business. We are running a programme of regional dialogue meetings to directly engage SMEs about potential solutions to particular regulations that impact on them.

Royal Mail: Privatisation

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether it is his policy to pursue a stock market flotation for Royal Mail.

Edward Davey: The coalition agreement committed the Government to seek to inject private capital into Royal Mail, including opportunities for employee ownership. The Postal Services Bill, to enable the introduction of private capital, was subsequently included in the Queen's Speech. No decisions have yet been taken on the method of selling shares in Royal Mail.

Sheffield Forgemasters: Finance

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he made of the cost to the Exchequer of insuring a loan of £80 million to Sheffield Forgemasters.

Edward Davey: A robust estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of insuring a loan of £80 million to Sheffield Forgemasters would have been part of the commercial and financial due-diligence that would have been carried out had the Government been in a position to progress the loan.

Small Businesses: Government Assistance

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of Government assistance to small and medium-sized enterprises in the form of  (a) grants,  (b) tax reliefs,  (c) investment allowances and  (d) other financial assistance.

Edward Davey: The Department makes regular assessments of the effectiveness of non-tax related programmes which provide financial assistance to small and medium-sized businesses.
	Recent evaluations have included:
	Economic evaluation of the Small Firms Loan Guarantee (SFLG) scheme (2010)
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file54112.doc
	Early stage assessment of the impact of the Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG) on Recipient Firms (2010)
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file54076.doc
	Early assessment of the impact of BIS equity fund initiatives (2010)
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/enterprise/docs/e/10-1037-early-assessment-bis-equity-fund-initiatives
	Solutions for Business: cross-product monitoring survey (2010)
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/enterprise/docs/s/10-1075-solutions-for-business-survey-june-2010
	Grant for business investment (in England, tables 1 and 2): 1 October to 31 December 2009
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/regional/docss/g/09-p76d-grant-business-investment-oct-dec-2009
	Early assessment of Business Link Health Checks (2009)
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file53743.doc
	RVCF and EGF interim evaluation: recipient business and stakeholder surveys (2009)
	http://www.berr.gov.uk/files/file53943.doc
	and
	Qualitative Research Paper
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file53944.doc
	UK Strategic Investment Fund: interim report (2009)
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file53157.pdf
	Further details of these and other relevant studies are available on the Publications page of the BIS website at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/publications
	HMRC has responsibility for evaluating tax related reliefs which benefit small businesses.
	Recent evaluations include:
	Study of the Impact of Enterprise Investment Scheme (EIS) and Venture Capital Trusts (VCT) on company performance (2008)
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/report44.pdf
	Further details of these and other relevant studies are available on the Research Page of the HMRC website at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/research/index.htm
	Finally, as tax is a matter for HM Treasury, the Chancellor has also asked the Office of Tax Simplification to carry out two initial reviews, which cover tax reliefs and small business tax simplification. This Department has offered assistance to the Office to help them carry out this important work.

Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme

Andrew Bingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the small firms loan guarantee scheme.

Edward Davey: In January, the Department published the Economic Evaluation of the Small Firms Loan Guarantee undertaken by the Institute of Employment Studies.
	This study rigorously tested the effectiveness and value for money of SFLG and concludes that the basic rationale for SFLG is supported and that it appears to be a cost-effective way of supporting additional economic activity in the small business sector.
	More specifically:
	The majority (81%) of SFLG recipients receive SFLG on their first loan application.
	For a majority (76%) of SFLG recipients, there were no alternative sources of finance available to them.
	This is confirmed by 79% of SFLG recipients reporting the bank would probably, or definitely not, have given them a loan without SFLG.
	Just under half (49%) of businesses would definitely, or probably not, have proceeded with their project without SFLG.
	A growth in sales, jobs and exports is attributable to SFLG supported lending within the first two years of the loan. The 3,100 SFLG supported businesses in 2006 have created between 3,550 to 6,340 additional jobs in the two years following receipt of the loan, created between £75 million and £150 million additional sales over two years; and were responsible for £33 million exports per annum.
	Just within two years of receiving the loan the benefits of the scheme are outweighing the costs.
	SFLG appears to be a particularly cost effective way of creating additional employment.
	The full report is available via the BIS website:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/files/file54112.doc
	The Small Firms Loan Guarantee was replaced by the Enterprise Finance Guarantee in January 2009.

South East England Development Agency: Advertising

Andrew Griffiths: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much funding the South East England Development Agency provided for the Mapping British Business South East advertorial supplement published in  The Times newspaper on 25 August 2010.

Edward Davey: None.

Taxis

Matthew Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much his Department and its predecessors spent on taxi fares in each year since 1997.

Edward Davey: Since 2003 the Department and its predecessors have spent the following amounts on taxis:
	
		
			  Calendar year  Amount (£) 
			 2003 52,623 
			 2004 195,039 
			 2005 185,531 
			 2006 162,367 
			 2007 200,434 
			 2008 272,317 
			 2009 275,614 
			 2010(1) 110,349 
			 (1 )To end August. 
		
	
	Figures prior to 2003 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.